By CrossRiverWatch Admin
A meeting convened by commissioners in Cross River State to stage a protest over the ruling of the Supreme Court on the conduct of the Ward and Local Government congresses of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has ended in a brawl.
A source at the meeting told CrossRiverWatch that the meeting which held at the residence of the Commissioner for Solid Minerals, George O’ben-Etchi was going on smoothly until an argument ensued between Sustainable Development Goals commissioner, Oliver Orok and two others.
The source said, the former Attorney General, Joe Oshie-Abang and Information Commissioner, Asu Okang were also in the verbal argument and exchange of blows.
Asides Messrs. Orok, Abang and Okang, the source said two female commissioners -Rita Ayim and Stella Odey-Inyang had their own brawl on the side.
The aides had gathered to plan a protest for tomorrow with the venue slated for the 11-11 roundabout.
The Supreme Court had on January 6, 2021 in a judgement delivered by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, upheld the judgement of the PortHarcourt division of the Court of Appeal dated November 2, 2020 which had affirmed the decision of the same division of the Federal High Court on September 4, 2020.
Justices Mary Odili, Ejembi Eko, Mohammed Garba and Samuel Oseji also sat on the panel.
The first respondent and federal lawmaker, Jarigbe Agom had on August 24, 2020 approached the vacation court of the Federal High Court in PortHarcourt seeking at least four reliefs.
The reliefs sought included the utilization of authentic list of ward and chapter executives of the PDP who emerged in congresses held between March 7 – 21, 2020; an order preventing the modification of the list; an order restraining any party in the suit from modifying the list and an order mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct primaries for the senatorial by-election in the constituency designated.
These reliefs were granted and affirmed by all appellate courts.
And, that is said to have dealt a blow to Governor Ben Ayade’s attempt to control fully, the structure of the PDP in Cross River.