Court Upholds Expulsion of PDP’s Ali Odefa
A Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has upheld the expulsion of Chief Ali Odefa, the former National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the South-East zone, from the party. The court’s decision follows a legal battle initiated by a group of plaintiffs who sought to have Odefa restrained from parading himself as a member of the PDP after his expulsion on December 12, 2024.
The ruling, handed down by Justice Hilary I. O. Oshomah, was the result of a suit filed by several PDP members, led by Hon. Herbert Onyedikachi, Hon. Anoke Egbe, Njoku Nwagu, Moses Idika, and others. In their petition, the plaintiffs sought an order to prevent Odefa from continuing in his role as the National Vice Chairman of the PDP in the South-East zone. They argued that he should no longer benefit from the rights and privileges that come with being a member of the party.
The legal dispute began when the PDP executives from Oguduokwor Ward in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State expelled Odefa after he was found guilty of engaging in anti-party activities. A disciplinary committee formed by the party recommended his expulsion, which was later approved. This decision led to the suit in which the plaintiffs sought to enforce the expulsion and ensure that Odefa could no longer hold any position within the party.
Justice Hilary I. O. Oshomah, who presided over the case, granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs. He affirmed that Odefa’s expulsion from the PDP was valid and should be enforced. The judge ruled that Odefa should not continue to represent himself as a member of the PDP or hold any official position within the party, including the office of National Vice Chairman of the South-East zone.
The court’s ruling also included an order that the police should not harass or intimidate the plaintiffs or the individuals who had taken the matter to court. The ruling followed an earlier court decision that had awarded N100 million in damages against Odefa, in response to his conduct within the party.
Following the court’s decision, Chief Mudi Erhenede, the lawyer representing the plaintiffs, expressed satisfaction with the ruling. He praised the court for upholding the expulsion and for ensuring that justice was served. Erhenede also requested that the court impose a N5 million cost against Odefa for his actions in the case.
On the other hand, Ifeanyi Chukwu, the lawyer representing Odefa, told the court that they were not opposed to the judgment. This indicates that Odefa and his legal team may not be seeking to challenge the court’s decision any further.
