A State High Court in Kebbi has ruled that the ousted National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Uche Secondus be reinstated as the party’s national chairman.

In his ruling on Thursday, Nusirat Umar, the presiding judge, directed that the suspension of Mr Secondus as the party’s chairman be halted until the determination of the suit brought before it by the applicants.

Delivering judgement on an ex parte brought in a suit marked KB/AC/M.170/2021, the presiding Judge asked Mr Secondus to continue exercising all the constitutional powers of the office of Chairman of PDP.

Ms Umar stayed the ruling of a Rivers State High Court, a court of coordinate jurisdiction, which removed Mr Secondus from office days ago.

“Staying the purported suspension of the first respondent pending the determination of the substantive motion on notice No.KB/HC/M.170/2021 now pending before this honourable court,” Mrs Umar said.

“An order of this honourable court granting leave to the first respondent (Uche Secondus) to continue exercising all the constitutional powers of the office of Chairman of PDP (second defendant ) as enshrined in both 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended and the Peoples Democratic Party’s constitution pending the hearing and final determination of applicant’s motion on notice,” it added.

On Monday, a state high court sitting in Rivers suspended Mr Secondus as the National Chairman of PDP.

The court case, instituted by Ibeawuchi Ernest Alex, Dennis Nina Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen and Umezirike Onucha as claimants/applicants against Mr Secondus and the PDP as first and second defendants, sought amongst other prayers an order of interim injunction against Mr Secondus from parading himself as the national chairman of the PDP.

In his ruling, Mr Gbasam issued a restraining order against the “1st Defendant from parading himself as a member of the 2nd Defendant or National Chairman of the Defendant or performing the functions of National Chairman of the 2nd Defendant.”

Mr Gbasam also approved the suspension of Secondus as a member of the PDP pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

On Thursday, the National Working Committee of the party pronounced Yemi Akinwonmi, its Deputy National Chairman (South), as the acting chairman.

The unfolding legal brickbat could open another round of uncertainty for the opposition party barely pushing to regain power at the centre, having lost it six years ago.