Segun Sowunmi, Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, has filed a legal action before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, asking it to stop the party’s Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) from further acting in their capacities, following their alleged violation of the party’s constitution.
Sowunmi, who is also an ex-aide of Vice President Atiku Abubakar and spokesman of the PDP during the last general elections, is asking the court to compel the Damagum- led NWC to hold the mandatory National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the party.
In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/70/2024, Sowunmi accused national leadership of the party of hampering its fortune in future elections by failing to hold the NEC meeting to enable its members review the party’s activities, take critical decisions and plan for future polls.
The plaintiff, in the suit filed by his lawyer, Anderson Asemota, named Damagum, PDP, Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary), Umar Nature (National Organising Secretary), Okechukwu Daniel (National Auditor), Ahmed Yayari (National Treasurer), Muhammed Kadade (National Youth Leader) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as co-defendants.
In a supporting affidavit, Sowunmi stated that since the party participated in the last governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states, reports of the polls have not been presented to the party as required.
He added that elections are coming up in Edo and Ondo states, and the party needed to also plan and prepare ahead, saying: “The preparation and planning can only be done at the meeting of the members of the NEC.”
The applicant is also asking the court to take a judicial notice of the fact that: “There are other critical issues which the party needs to discuss during the NEC meeting.”
