Kashamu’s suspension: Court tells PDP to maintain status-quo, adjourns case

JUSTICE Valentine Ashi of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Apo, Abuja, has described as illegal, the suspension of the senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District of Ogun State, Buruji Kashamu by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The court also fixed February 22, 2018, for the hearing of the case‎, just as it described the action of the PDP as contemptuous adding that status quo must be maintained by parties in the matter.

In December last year, shortly before the National Convention of the party on December 9th, the PDP suspended Kashamu over alleged anti-party activities.

When the case came up before Justice Ashi, ‎counsel to Kashamu, Mr Charles Ndukwe, told the court about the action of the PDP in suspending the Senator, describing it as illegal.

At the last adjourned date, the parties in the suit agreed that no further step will be taken pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Ndukwe, while arguing a motion before the court to set aside the suspension, told the court that the PDP has already gone ahead to suspend the senator while the case is still pending.

He prayed the court to set aside Kashamu’s suspension and order that status quo be maintained in the matter.

In a short ruling, Justice Ashi declared Kashamu’s suspension as illegal and described the action of the party as being contemptuous and adjourned the matter till February for hearing.

In December, a Federal High Court in Abuja struck out a suit which the senator filed to prevent the PDP from taking disciplinary measures against him.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the court struck out the suit after he upheld the party’s objection which challenged the competence and validity of the suit filed by the senator.