By Kelvin Ololo
The Federal High Court sitting in Calabar has stopped the Cross River State Government from demolishing a property belonging to Mrs. Cecilia Alphonsus Eba, the wife of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s 2027 deputy governorship candidate, Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba.
The court granted an interim injunction restraining the Cross River State Government from carrying out the exercise pending the determination of a fundamental rights suit.
The development comes barely a day after members of the PDP and youths staged a peaceful protest at the Water Board area of Calabar, alleging that the proposed demolition was politically motivated and calling on the state government to ensure fairness, transparency and equal application of the law.
The court order was disclosed by F. Baba Isa, Esq., Managing Partner of FBI LEGAL, in a statement posted on his verified Facebook page on Friday, July 3, 2026.
According to the lawyer, the Federal High Court granted an interim injunction restraining the Cross River State Government, its agents, servants and privies from demolishing or interfering with the property belonging to Mrs. Cecilia Alphonsus Ogar Eba pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The suit, he explained, seeks to enforce his client’s fundamental rights, including her constitutional right to own and enjoy property.
“The Federal High Court sitting in Calabar has, this morning, 3 July 2026, granted an interim injunction restraining the Cross River State Government, its agents, servants, and privies from demolishing or otherwise interfering with the property of our client, Mrs. Cecilia Alphonsus Ogar Eba, pending the hearing and determination of her suit for the enforcement of her fundamental rights, including her constitutional right to own and enjoy property,” the statement read.
F. Baba Isa disclosed that the law firm approached the court after the government allegedly threatened to demolish the property.
“Following the Government’s threat to demolish our client’s property, our law firm, FBI LEGAL, acted promptly by commencing legal proceedings and seeking urgent interim relief. The Court has now granted the application, thereby preserving the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit,” he added.
The legal intervention comes amid heightened political tension surrounding the state’s urban renewal exercise.
On Thursday, July 2, the Cross River State chapter of the PDP led supporters in a peaceful protest, insisting that while it does not oppose urban development, the enforcement of planning laws must comply with constitutional provisions and be applied without discrimination.
In a statement signed by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Prince Mike Ojisi, the PDP called on Governor Bassey Otu to suspend what it described as targeted demolition, publish the full list of affected structures and ensure transparency throughout the exercise.
The opposition party argued that if planning regulations were being enforced within the Water Board axis, all structures found to be in violation should be treated equally, warning that selective action against a property linked to a leading opposition figure could be perceived as political persecution rather than genuine urban renewal.
The interim order means that the status quo will remain until the court hears and determines the substantive case on its merits.
As of the time of filing this report, the Cross River State Government had not issued an official response to the court order or the claims made by the PDP and the claimant’s legal representatives.
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