Minister of FCT and former governor of Rivers State, Chief Ezenwo Wike and his team have lost out as Court halts their planned mega assembly in Bayelsa State.
However, the South-South zonal Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), George Turnah, has vowed that the planned mega rally would go ahead despite the court order.
The court order, which was obtained on Thursday, was to stop the proposed rally by Turnah and key Wike loyalists scheduled to hold in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on April 12, 2025.
Justice I.A Uzakah granted the Motion Ex-Parte in Suit No. BYHC/YHC/CV/133/2025 filed by the state’s Attorney General, Mr. Biriyai Dambo (SAN). Listed as first and second defendants/respondents in the suit are the lead convener of the NEW Associates, organisers of the rally, Turnah, and Wike.
The other defendants are the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Police Command. The enrolled court order states: “An order of the interim injunction is hereby made or granted restraining the 1st and 2nd Defendants, whether by themselves, their agents, associates, privies, representatives (or any person whatsoever acting at their behest), from conducting, convening, coordinating, engaging in, organising, participating in, holding, hosting, or facilitating any political assembly, rally meeting, or gathering within Bayelsa State, for the purpose of solidarity, hosting, and celebrating the 2nd Defendant in Bayelsa State, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.”
The matter was adjourned to April 11, 2025, for hearing. At a world press conference in Abuja, on Friday, Turnah argued that the planned rally does not fall within the categories banned by the court.
He said: “Our rally as we have said is for the purpose of inaugurating a group called the New Associates, Bayelsa State Chapter, and to appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing notable sons and daughters of Bayelsa State into positions of trust in the country.”
“That is the purpose. It is not for the purpose that the court order captured. In fact, the purpose for which we want to hold our rally is not captured in this order.
“So, we are going ahead. Any day we see an order of court stopping us from holding rally for the purpose of appreciating and solidarising with President Tinubu and for the purpose of inaugurating the Batelsa State chapter of the New Associates, we comply and follow the law.”