A High Court in Ado Ekiti has restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, all members of the National Working Committee and the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party from taking any further action on the earlier suspended National Assembly candidates of the party in Ekiti State as well as State House of Assembly candidates of the party in the State.

The court ordered the party to ‘maintain status quo’ following a motion filed by the NASS candidates.

The order was given after a hearing before Honourable Justice E.B Omotosho in Ado-Ekiti on February 2.

Recall that the PDP had on January 20, approved the suspension of the Ekiti State Executive Committee, alongside several party members in the state.

Following the party’s announcement, five suspended members—Ajijola Lateef Oladimeji, (Ekiti Central); Emiola Adenike Jennifer (Ekiti South II); Olayinka James Olalere, (Ekiti Central); Akerele Oluyinka (Ekiti North I); and Fayose Oluwajomiloju John (Ekiti Central I)— had on January 27, 2023, filed a motion against the PDP, the party national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Names of the five members had prior to their suspension been submitted to INEC as candidates for the National Assembly elections holding February 25, 2023.

The applicants had prayed the court for an order of interim injunction restraining the PDP and the party chairman, Senator Ayu from substituting their names for the upcoming national and state assembly elections.

The motion read, “Upon the application filed on the 2nd February 2023, the claimants/applicants pray for the following:

An order of interim injunction of this honourable court restraining the 1st and 2nd Defendants from substituting or changing the name of the claimants whose names have already been submitted to the 3″ Defendants as the Defendants’ candidates for her National and State Assembly elections when the claimants have not withdrawn their candidature having regard to the provisions of Sections 3 of the Electoral Act 2022, as well as the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP as amended in 2017 and its Guidelines pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction before the Honourable Court.”

The claimants also prayed the court for an order of interim injunction restraining INEC from accepting or acting on any application from the PDP attempting to substitute the names of the candidates without a withdrawal of candidature by the suspended members.

The court, having listened to the applicant’s counsel, ordered that copies of the motion of notice filed by the claimants be served on the defendants.

“Upon the service of the aforesaid processes on the defendants, the parties, in this case, are hereby ordered to maintain status quo pending the hearing of the aforesaid Motion on notice,” the order read.