By CHARLES ONYEKWERE

A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State on Friday awarded a N100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira) damages against the expelled former National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Southeast Zone, Mr. Ali Odefa.

20 members including Executives of the PDP Oguduokwor in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State had approached the court in Suit No: FHC/AI/CS/FHR/197 Between: Hon. Herbert Onyedikachi, Hon Anoke, Egbe, Njoku Nwagu, Moses Idika, Ogbonnaya Idika, Obinna Chukwu, Chief John Igboke, Mrs. Ijeoma Nome, Okorie C. Okorie and nine others (APPLICANTS) VS Chief Ali Odefa, The Commissioner of Police (Ebonyi State) and the Inspector General of Police (RESPONDENTS), for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights against the a false and malicious accusations leveled against them in the police by Mr. Ali Odefa.

Ruling on the suit, Honourable Justice Hilary I. O. Oshomah held that Mr. Ali Odefa had ?maliciously? used the police against the defendants as he had made criminal accusations against the applicants in a civil political matter.

The court held that Mr. Odefa who had alleged in his statement to the police that the defendants forged documents to suspend him as a member of the PDP in Oguduokwor Ward failed to show proof of any form of forgery in the court to support his claims.

The court, therefore, issued an order restraining Mr. Odefa and the police from harassing, arresting or in any form intimidating the defendants on the issue of his (Ali Odefa?s) suspension from the PDP, Oguduokwor Ward.

The court also awarded damages in the sum of N5, 000, 000 (five million naira) to each of the 20 defendants totalling N100, 000,000 (one hundred million).

The court further ordered that the damages cost must be paid within seven (7) days of the judgement, failure to pay, according to the court will attract 10% daily interest.

At the ruling, the OC Legal of the Nigeria Police Ebonyi State Command was in the court to represent the Commissioner of Police, while the counsel of Mr. Ali Odefa was absent from the despite receiving earlier sitting notice from the court.

Recall that Mr. Ali Odefa was expelled from the PDP on December 12th, 2024, by the Executives of PDP Oguduokwor Ward after a disciplinary committee of the party recommended his expulsion haven found him guilty of sundry anti-party activities.

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