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Bayelsa PDP In Crisis In Aftermath Of Nine High Profile Expulsions

While speaking during the Court session presided over by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Kate Abiri, the embattled Party Chairman, Sam Inokoba, said his Counsel, Chief Sylvanus Abila, now receives strange phone calls and is also trailed by unknown faces within Yenagoa.

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On Friday in Bayelsa State, Barr. Sylvanus Abila, Counsel to the suspended State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sam Inokoba, gave graphic details before the State High Court sitting in Yenagoa about how he was being trailed day and night by strange persons suspected to be hired Assassins. This has been happening since the emergence of a lawsuit challenging the decision of the Party to expel nine Chieftains of the Party in the State.

While speaking during the Court session presided over by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Kate Abiri, the embattled Party Chairman, Sam Inokoba, said his Counsel, Chief Sylvanus Abila, now receives strange phone calls and is also trailed by unknown faces within Yenagoa.

According to the Party Chairman, his lawyer who was engaged to carry out his duty as a legal practitioner should not be intimidated for any reason. The various court proceedings are instituted so the client can regain his mandate as the authentic and elected Bayelsa State Chairman of the PDP.

A hearing challenging the appointment of Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff as the acting State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was filed before the Court.

In the originating summons filed by lead counsel to the suspended Chairman of the PDP, Rtd. Col. Sam Inokoba, Dr. Sylvanus Abila, the plaintiff asked the court to nullify the appointment of an acting chairman because it is contrary to the relevant sections of the PDP’s constitution.

There are two substantive cases before the court in the lawsuit numbers YHC/86/2015 which was filed on the 15th of June, 2015 and suit number YHC/80/2015 which was filed on 8th June, 2015. These cases were filed after an earlier one was withdrawn.

In the new suits, the plaintiff wants the court to declare the action of the PDP Disciplinary Committee headed by Mr. Cleopas Moses void because it contravenes the Party’s constitution.

Pending the determination of the substantive suits, Col. Inokoba, is also seeking an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the 1st to 10th defendants which includes Governor Seriake Dickson, Attorney-General, and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Kemasuode Wodu from taking any further investigation of alleged misconduct against him.

In the suit number YHC/80/2015, the defendants are Governor Seriake Dickson as 1st defendant, Attorney-General as 2nd defendant, and Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff as 3rd defendant.

In the suit,the plaintiff wants the court to determine whether Chief Dokubo-Spiff, can hold the office of Acting State PDP Chairman while at the same time serving as a Commissioner in the Bayelsa State Judicial Commission.

As the duly elected State Chairman of the PDP, Col. Inokoba is also seeking an order restraining Chief Dokubo-Spiff from parading himself as the Acting State Chairman of the PDP in Bayelsa State.

In this suit, both the Governor and the Attorney-General had been served by the Court bailiff, but Chief Dokubo-Spiff has reportedly been evading service.

To be able to get Chief Dokubo-Spiff served, Counsel to Col. Inokoba, Dr. Sylvanus Abila, has filed a motion ex-parte to use substituted service by pasting the court processes at the entrance to the PDP Secretariat along Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha road in Yenagoa.

Dr. Abila, restated that it disrespects of the judiciary system and abuses Chief Dokubo-Spiff, if they continue to refer to him as Acting Chairman of the Party when a substantive case challenging that position is before a law court.