The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, fixed May 18 to deliver judgment in the suit seeking to uphold the indefinite suspension of Sen. Ireti Kingibe by the Wuse Ward chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
At the resumed hearing, counsel to Kingibe, Mr. Marshall Abubakar, told the court that the case lacked merit as it was purely an internal party affair. According to Abubakar, the case ought to be dismissed with punitive costs. He argued that the party has a specific procedure for addressing such matters, but the plaintiffs failed to follow it.
“The defendant was never invited for any hearing, nor was there any formal complaint lodged against her,” he stated.
He further argued that the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to institute the suit as they themselves had been suspended by the party. Moreover, he noted that only the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party possesses the authority to suspend a member, not individual members or ward chapters. The lawyer prayed the court to dismiss the matter in its entirety and award N25 million in punitive costs against the plaintiffs.
In response, counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. I.G. Ogugua, urged the court to dismiss the defendant’s arguments. Ogugua contended that the “internal affairs” of a political party are not sacrosanct when the party’s own constitution is breached.
Earlier, Abubakar had argued an application challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter, again premising his argument on the grounds of internal party autonomy. Ogugua countered this, praying the court to dismiss the application as unmeritorious, asserting that the court maintained the requisite jurisdiction to determine the matter.
(NAN)
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