A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has affirmed the expulsion of the National Vice Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), South East, Chief Ali Odefa, from the party.
Odefa was suspended from the party on October 4, 2024 by the executive committee of the party in his Oguduokwor Ward, Onicha Local Government Area of the State for alleged anti-party activities.
He had described the suspension as of no effect and continued to operate as the National Vice Chairman of PDP in the South East.
This forced the executive committee to expel him from the party after he allegedly failed to appear before a disciplinary committee.
The executive committee subsequently approached the federal high court to affirm the expulsion.
Delivering judgment on the matter on Wednesday -earlier today, February 26 – in suit no FHC/AI/CS/182/2024 filed by the Chairman of the Oguduokwor Ward of the party, Herbert Ovuta, the presiding Judge, Justice Hilary Oshomah granted all the reliefs sought by the ward executive committee and held that Odefa was validly expelled from the party.
The court, however, did not grant the N5million cost sought by the party against Odefa
Counsel to the party, Chief Mudi Erhenede, hailed the judgment and described it as victory for democracy.
He averred that he would love the matter to get to the Supreme Court.
“I would have loved the matter to get to the supreme court to give a final ruling whether ward executive committees of political parties can discipline national officers,” he said.
