The application is different from the one at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in which the party urged the court to jail the alleged contemnors for “appointing” Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as “National Secretary” after the court had nullified his nomination by the PDP Southwest Zonal Chapter.
Applicants in the suit filed yesterday by their lawyer, Mr Ajibola Oluyede, are: PDP Chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus; National Women Leader Dr. Kema Chikwe and National Publicity Olisah Metuh.
They are urging the court to jail Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, Oyinlola, Maode Hiliya, Timi Frank, Mrs. Binta Koje, Mallam Nasir Issa, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, Aliyu Wadada and Mallam Tanko Gomna.
PDP is praying the court to jail Baraje, Jaja and Oyinlola for one year or as the court may otherwise determine for alleged criminal contempt which they committed “in their conspiracy and actions to flout the purpose and authority of the court”.
The party said they obstructed the administration of justice through subverting the court’s processes and engaged in overt acts of defiance and violation of an order made on September 2.
Justice Safari had ordered in a ruling that “parties maintain the Status Quo ante pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction”.
The judge was said to have reaffirmed the order on Monday.
Despite the order, PDP said, the “contemnors” opened a new office /secretariat on September 4, and appointed themselves and the others into various offices constituting the PDP National Working Committee (NWC).
The applicants said the “contemnors” did so “for the purpose of rendering the said orders of this Honourable Court nugatory and of no effect”.
PDP also sought an order committing the fourth to 10th alleged contemnors to prison for a term of one year for alleged criminal contempt.
It said they should be jailed for “aiding and abetting the defiance and violation of the order of this Honourable Court through their appointment into various offices constituting the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the purpose of rendering the said orders of this Honourable Court nugatory and of no effect.”
Stating the grounds for the application, PDP said: “The Plaintiffs (Baraje and others) instituted this action via a Writ of Summons dated 2nd September 2013 and also filed a motion ex parte for interim injunction.
“On the 2nd of September 2013, this Honourable Court refused the prayer for interim injunction but rather made an order directing that ‘Parties maintain the Status quo ante pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.’
“The above order of this Honourable Court that parties maintain status quo was reaffirmed by this Honourable Court in the proceedings of 9th of September 2013.
“Despite the said order of this Honourable Court directing parties to maintain status quo ante, the 1st to 3rd alleged contemnors rather than wait for the outcome of the judicial process to which they had submitted themselves and accord the requisite respect to the judiciary and due process of law, continued to parade themselves and to act as the chairman, deputy national chairman and secretary of the party.
“On the 9th of September 2013, the 3rd alleged contemnor announced in a statement in Abuja the appointment of the contemnors into various offices in the National Working Committee (NWC).
“This Honorable court has the power and the responsibility, as well as other courts in the land, to shed the cloak of indignity, which the contemnors have attempted to foist upon the judiciary generally and this honourable court in particular, to rescue the authority and majesty of the courts of the land from the denigration and insult which the Respondents and the Alleged Contemnors have conspired to assault the temple of justice with by ensuring that the Alleged Contemnors purge themselves of their contempt.”
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