Jude Diugwu
A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki Ebonyi State capital, on Friday awarded N100, million damages against the expelled PDP National Vice Chairman South-East Chief Ali Odefa.
The ruling follows a suit instituted by 20 members of PDP including Executives of the party in Oguduokwor ward in Onicha Local Government Area of the State.
The applicants had approached the court in Suit No: FHC/AI/CS/FHR/197, between: Hon. Herbert Onyedikachi, Hon Anoke, Egbe, Njoku Nwagu, Moses Idika, Ogbonnaya Idika, Obinna Chukwu, Chief John Igboke, Mrs. Ijeoma Nome, Okorie C. Okorie and nine others as Applicants.
The plaintiffs prayed for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights over allegations against them by Chief Odefa.
Odefa had accused them of forging documents purporting his suspension as the National Vice Chairman of PDP, South-East.
Ruling on the suit, the Presiding Judge Justice Hilary I. O. Oshomah, held that Odefa had maliciously used the police against the applicants by making criminal accusations against them in a civil political matter.
The court held that Odefa who had alleged in his statement to the police, that the applicants forged documents to suspend him as a member of the PDP in Oguduokwor Ward, failed to show proof of any form of forgery in the court to support his claims.
The court, therefore, issued an order restraining Odefa and the police from harassing, arresting or in any form intimidating them on the issue of his suspension from the PDP, Oguduokwor Ward.
It awarded damages in the sum of N5, million to each of the 20 plaintiffs totaling N100 million.
The court further ordered that the cost must be paid within seven (7) days of the judgement, failure to pay, according to the court will attract 10% daily interest.
At the ruling, the OC Legal of the Nigeria Police, Ebonyi State Command, Benson Emenike was in court to represent the Commissioner of Police, while Odefa’s counsel was absent despite receiving earlier sitting notice from the court.
Chief Odefa was expelled from the PDP on December 12, 2024, by the Executives of the party in Oguduokwor ward, after a disciplinary committee of the party recommended his expulsion having found him guilty of anti-party activities.
