The embattled Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party, Falalu Bello, has secured victory in a suit filed against him by a chieftain of the party, the now late Prof. Sule Bello and others in the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The suit, with number FHC/CS/ABJ/575/2021, and labelled PRP&17 OTHERS V FALALU BELLO & 1 OTHER, was maintained by another chieftain (the plaintiff), Abdulmajid Daudu, and other aggrieved members over the chairmanship of the party.
In a press statement by the Media Assistant to the PRP National Chairman, Muhammed Ishaq, on Wednesday, he said the suit was struck out by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon at the Federal High Court, Abuja on Wednesday.
He said, “The aforementioned persons instituted the suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, last year challenging the national chairmanship of Mallam Falalu Bello, as they claimed to have passed a vote of no-confidence in his leadership.
“Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon ruled that their so-called suit is lacking in merit and hence interpreted their purported vote of no-confidence as illegal.”
“Justice Olajuwon struck out the suit against the party because it was not authorised or recognised by the National Electoral Committee of the party, and, therefore, cannot be maintained in the name of the party.”
The judge also struck out the suit on the removal of 1st Respondent, Bello, because the constitution of the party both presented by the plaintiff and the defendant, revealed that only two-thirds of members could remove the chairman of the party.
It was earlier disclosed that Bello had deposed to an affidavit where he stressed that over 1000 delegates voted for him to emerge as chairman as against the reported 100 members who demanded his removal from office.
Speaking with The PUNCH, in a brief phone interview on Wednesday, the Public Relations Officer of the Daudu faction of the PRP, Idakwo Lawal, confirmed the judgement.
He also noted that the leadership of the faction was studying the judgement to determine their next line of action.
Idakwo said, “The judgement you are talking about was given today at the Federal High Court. There will always be disagreement and misunderstanding, and we always believe that there is always an arbiter and we see the court as one. When issues cannot be resolved internally then the court is approached for clarity. The court judgement today was somehow in favour of Falalu Bello.”
“I am yet to lay my hands on the judgement given and the leadership of the PRP under the leadership of Daudu is currently studying the judgement. We have informed our members to stay calm and our layers are in touch with us. When we are done studying the judgement we will know what step to take,” he said.
