A Rivers State high court has ordered Prince Uche Secondus to cease claiming to be the National Chairman or a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The court order was passed on Monday by Hon. Justice O. Gbasam of the Degema Judicial Division Vacation Court in Port Harcourt, who presided over the hearing.

The ruling was prompted by a lawsuit brought by Ibeawuchi Ernest Alex, Dennis Nna Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen, and Umezirike Onucha against Uche Secondus (1st defendant) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the Federal High Court in Abuja (2nd defendant).

After reading the affidavit in support of the motion for ex parte as well as the written address, and after hearing the submission of H.A. Bello, Counsel to the Applicants, the judge granted the interim injunction prohibiting Secondus from acting in the capacity of National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the foreseeable future.

According to the statement, “An order restraining the 1st Defendant from parading himself as member of the 2nd Defendant or the National Chairman of the Defendant or performing the functions of national chairman of the 2nd defendant or calling, attending or presiding over any meeting of the 2nd defendant or any committee of the 2nd defendant at the Ward, Local Government or State level or calling for any Ward, Local Government or State Congress of the 2nd defendant or setting up committees for such Congresses or participating in any activity of the 2nd defendant whatsoever whilst on suspension as a member of the 2nd defendant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”

Additionally, the judge granted permission to serve the respondent by substituted methods, which included pasting the originating summons, the motion on notice, all orders of the court, and all subsequent processes on his gate at No.1 William Jumbo Street, Old G.R.A, Port Harcourt.

Aside from that, the judge granted permission to serve orders issued by the court on respondents by announcing those orders in the Nation Newspaper.