An Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday granted an order stopping the conduct of the Local Government and State Congresses of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.

Justice E.B. Omotoso gave the order while ruling on a motion on exparte number HAD/424M/2025 filed by Mr Afolabi Adedeji.

The suit was filed against the PDP, the party’s Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun; National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; Caretaker Chairman of the party in Ekiti state, Dare Adeleke and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The court ordered that all parties to the suit should maintain status quo, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The court also ordered that the PDP Acting National Chairman, National Organising Secretary and Ekiti State Caretaker Chairman should be served the court order through their WhatsApp numbers.

“Leave is hereby granted to the claimant/applicant to serve the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants the Originating Process with its accompanying processes by substituted means, by pasting the afosesaid originating process on the wall of the 1st defendant’s office situate at Ajilosun Street, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.

“In addition, the claimant/applicant is granted leave to serve the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants vide their WhatsApp phone numbers 08047677070, 08035961850 and 08033242822 respectively.

“All parties in this case are hereby ordered to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice which is hereby fixed for hearing on Wednesday, the 14th day of May, 2025,” the court ruled.

The plaintiff, Afolabi Adedeji, had sought an order of interim injunction, retraining the defendants, privies, agents and successor-in-title/office, from accepting any list of persons who did not obtain election forms, participate in the elections and elected by the simple majority votes of the ward congress of the PDP in Ekiti State to act for the party, as delegates at any election of the party apart from those elected on March 15, 2025.

The plaintiff also sought an order of the court to mark the originating summons as concurrent.

He equally sought to issue and serve, the originating summons, and other accompany originating processes, and all other processes in the case on the 1st , 2nd, 3rd and 5th defendants, whose address is outside the jurisdiction of the court and in the Federal Capital Territory. (NAN)

 A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Mapo, Ibadan has sentenced a scavenger, Fatai Abiodun,18,  to two weeks imprisonment for unlawfully entering into a house with the intension to steal abandoned metallic objects.

The Magistrate, Mrs O.O. Latunji, in her judgement, held that Abiodun was convicted and sentenced  based on the evidence available to her and his guilty plea.

Latunji, however, warned the convict not to go back into any act of criminality after completing his sentence.

She also ordered him to pay N5,000 as restitution for damaging the complainant’s wristwatch.

The prosecutor, Insp Oluseye Akinola, had told the court that the convict committed the crime on April 25, at Iyemetu-Adeyo area, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Akinola stated that Abiodun, who earned his living as a scavenger, gained entry into the compound of one Rukayat George through the drainage  of the house.

He said that the convict had sighted some abandoned scraps through the drainage and made frantic efforts to get them.

“The convict was pulling out other minor obstacles preventing him from gaining entry when George noticed that something was happening.

“On getting to the scene, George asked what Abiodun was doing;  instead, the latter attempted to escape causing the former to raise an alarm.

“Abiodun’s attempt to escape led to the damage of the wristwatch worn by the complainant before he was taken to the Iyemetu Police Station,” the prosecutor said.

Akinola said that the offence contravene the provisions of Section 412 of the Criminal Code Cap. 38 vol ii law of Oyo State, 2000.

 A 27-year-old man, Olatilewa Ahmed, on Monday, appeared before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun for allegedly breaking into a shop and stealing jewelry and other valuable items worth N1.3 million.

Ahmed,whose address was not provided, was facing a four-count charge of stealing, burglary, conspiracy and malicious damage.

The Prosecutor, Insp E O.

Adaraloye alleged that the defendant and his accomplices conspired to break into the shop of one Oyewole Omotayo,  stole 3 jewelry, 2 door lights and other valuable goods worth N1.

He said that the defendant also damaged the roofing sheets and ceiling of the shop, valued at N15,000, in the process of trying to break into the shop.

The prosecutor also said that the offences contravened Sections 390(9), 413, 451 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Magistrate, Mrs O.O Fadairo, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Fadairo said that the sureties must resides within the court’s jurisdiction and be gainfully employed with evidence of tax payment to Ogun Government.

She adjourned the cade6 until May 14 for further hearing