The Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday reaffirmed that its order on maintaining status quo in respect of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention remains in force and must not be flouted by any of the parties involved in a suit on the convention.

The judge, Justice James Omotosho, specifically insisted that no party must take any step that may jeopardise or render the decision of his court nugatory and warned that he would be forced to make consequential order against any party that resort to self-help.

The order of the judge followed the complaint by one of the lawyers to the PDP, Chris Uche (SAN), that his client is being held back by the status quo maintenance order and applied for speedy hearing of the suit.

At the proceedings yesterday, the judge said that his court would do everything possible to deliver judgment in the suit between now and end of October for the respective parties to know their fate.

He warned that no party would be allowed to use any ploy to delay speedy hearing of the suit challenging the legality or otherwise of the planned national convention of the party scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

“You and I as lawyers and ministers in the temple of justice know that once a suit is filed in respect of any matter and parties have been served with processes, it is the law that no party should take any step in respect of such suit.

“The court must not be over- reached and where such is done, the court has power to issue consequential order, nullifying such act. We all know the law and please, let us respect the law.

It is in our collective interest,” the Judge said. Meanwhile, the judge fixed October 20 for definite hearing of the originating summons in respect of the suit instituted against Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and eight others by three aggrieved members of the party.