The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, Taraba State Capital on Friday gave an order of interim injunction restraining Alhaji Abubakar Bawa from functioning as the state Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Justice Bala Usman issued the order in response to the application by the erstwhile acting Chairman of the party Mr. Inuwa Bakari, challenging the recent appointment of Bawa as the state chairman of the party.
A Certified True Copy of the injunction obtained by our Correspondent in Jalingo read in part that “upon this MOTION EX-PARTE dated the 31st day of March 2023 and filed on the same date coming up before this Honourable Court praying for the following reliefs:
“AN ORDER of INTERIM INJUNCTION restraining the 2nd Defendant Abubakar Bawa from acting, carrying out functions, and parading himself as the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Taraba State chapter pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“AN ORDER restraining the 1st Defendant from taking any step (s) that may negatively affect the membership right of the Plaintiff as the acting chairman of the 1st Defendant pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“AN ORDER restraining the 1 Defendant by itself or any of its organs at any level from expelling, suspending, reprimanding, censuring, fining, department from any party office and removal of the Plaintiff from office pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“AND for such further or other Order(s) as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances”.
The Injunction further read that “upon reading the affidavit in support of the Motion paper, sworn to by one Alhaji Bakari Inuwa, Male, Adult, Nigerian Citizen, of Old Pantisawa Road, Nyamusala, Jalingo, Taraba State, filed in the Registry of this Court on the 31st day of March 2023, and after hearing Chief C. C. Damba Mbanaso, Esq. of Counsel for the Plaintiff/Applicant moved in terms of the Motion paper, it is hereby ordered as follows:
“That an order of INTERIM INJUNCTION is hereby granted restraining the 2nd Defendant Abubakar Bawa from acting, carrying out functions, and parading himself as the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Taraba State chapter pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“That an Order is made restraining the 1st Defendant from taking any step (s) that may negatively affect the membership right of the Plaintiff as the acting chairman of the 1st Defendant pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“That an Order is made restraining the 1 Defendant by itself or any of its organs at any level from expelling, suspending, reprimanding, censuring, fining, debarment from any party office and removal of the Plaintiff from office pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice”.
Justice Usman, however, announced that the matter is adjourned to the 9th of May, 2023 for a hearing.
Recalled that Governor Darius Ishaku had recently appointed his Senior Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa as the state Chairman of the party, a move some people described as trying to control the party machinery even after leaving office on May 29th.
When contacted through telephone, the embattled party Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa confirmed that he was aware of the court case but did not receive any surmon.
“Frankly speaking I don’t know anything but I heard that I was taken to court but nobody bring a surmon to me, nobody call me and I did not go to the court, that is the only thing I know,” Bawa added.
When asked whether he will still go to the office on Monday, Abubakar Bawa said “I am a law-abiding citizen, so, since the court has given an order I will comply.”
