It was gathered that national Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party Alhaji Bamanga Tukur has urged the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja to jail leaders of the “New PDP” for allegedly violating an order made by Justice Ganiyu Safari.

The suit filed yesterday by Mr Ajibola Oluyede, who is the lawyer to Tukur has Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus, National Women Leader Dr. Kema Chikwe and National Publicity Olisa Metuh as applicants.

The suit urged the court to jail Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Maode Hiliya, Timi Frank, Mrs. Binta Koje, Mallam Nasir Issa, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, Aliyu Wadada and Mallam Tanko Gomna.

PDP is praying the court to jail Baraje, Jaja and Oyinlola for one year or as the court may otherwise determine for alleged criminal contempt which they committed “in their conspiracy and actions to flout the purpose and authority of the court”.

It was gathered that Justice Safari had ordered in a ruling that “parties maintain the Status Quo ante pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction”.

However, despite the order, the “New PDP” office/secretariat was opened and National Working Council was appointed.

Stating the grounds for the application, the Tukur-led PDP said: “The Plaintiffs (Baraje and others) instituted this action via a Writ of Summons dated 2nd September 2013 and also filed a motion ex parte for interim injunction.

“On the 2nd of September 2013, this Honourable Court refused the prayer for interim injunction but rather made an order directing that ‘Parties maintain the Status quo ante pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.’

“The above order of this Honourable Court that parties maintain status quo was reaffirmed by this Honourable Court in the proceedings of 9th of September 2013.

“Despite the said order of this Honourable Court directing parties to maintain status quo ante, the 1st to 3rd alleged contemnors rather than wait for the outcome of the judicial process to which they had submitted themselves and accord the requisite respect to the judiciary and due process of law, continued to parade themselves and to act as the chairman, deputy national chairman and secretary of the party.

“On the 9th of September 2013, the 3rd alleged contemnor announced in a statement in Abuja the appointment of the contemnors into various offices in the National Working Committee (NWC).

“This Honorable court has the power and the responsibility, as well as other courts in the land, to shed the cloak of indignity, which the contemnors have attempted to foist upon the judiciary generally and this honourable court in particular, to rescue the authority and majesty of the courts of the land from the denigration and insult which the Respondents and the Alleged Contemnors have conspired to assault the temple of justice with by ensuring that the Alleged Contemnors purge themselves of their contempt.”

The hearing was said to commence soon as no date has been fixed for it yet.