Court nullifies Abia PDP ward, council congresses

Court nullifies Abia PDP ward, council congresses

By Steve Oko

An Abia State High Court sitting at Bende, has nullified the Ward and Local Government Area congresses of the Abia State chapter of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, held in 2024.

It also nullified the councellorship and chairmanship primaries of the party for the November 2, 2024 Abia council poll.

The nullification was sequel to a suit filed by a PDP chieftain, Enyinnaya Ogbu, against the PDP, the PDP National Chairman, PDP National Financial Secretary, PDP National Organizing Secretary, PDP National Legal Adviser, PDP National Secretary, Allwel Asiforo Okereke, Kenneth Madubuike, and the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC).

Reliefs sought by the claimant in the suit marked HB/5/2024, include:”A declaration that the conduct of ward and Local Government congresses, primary elections to nominate the PDP chairmanship and councillorship candidates for the Abia State Local Government Election, 2024 and/or the nomination and submission of list of candidates and all communications made thereto by the 7th and 8th Defendants and their cohorts to the 9th Defendant at the behest of the 1st -6th Defendants constitute clear negation and violation of the orders of the High Court of Abia State High in Suit No: HB/3/2024 — Francis Etuzu & 2 Ors. V. PDP & 4 Ors, dated 23/7/2024 and 25/10/2024 respectively and therefore invalid, null, void and improper in law in the circumstances of the case.

“A declaration that the 1st Defendant has no valid chairmanship and councillorship candidate in the Abia State Local Government Election, 2024 scheduled to be conducted by the 9″ Defendant on 2” day of November, 2024 or any date in the circumstances of the case.

“A declaration that the 1st — 8th Defendants have by their unlawful conducts, denied the Claimant his right to participate as a PDP chairmanship candidate for Ukwa East Local Government Council in the said election scheduled to be conducted by the 9” Defendant on 24 November, 2024 as protected under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“An order nullifying and setting aside the conduct of ward and Local Government congresses, primary elections to nominate the PDP chairmanship and councillorship candidates for the Abia State Local Government Election, 2024 and/or the nomination and submission of list of candidates by the 7th and 8th Defendants and their cohorts at the behest of the 1st -6th Defendants.

“An order nullifying and setting aside all communications made by the 7th and 8th Defendants and their cohorts to the 9th Defendant at the behest of the 1st— 6th Defendants from 23/7 /2024 to date in respect of the conduct of the Abia State Local Government Election, 2024 scheduled for 2 November, 2024.”

Delivering judgement in the matter, the presiding Judge, Hon. Justice C. U Okorafor, granted all the reliefs sought by the Claimant.

Later in an interview, Counsel to the Claimant, Mr O. O Amuzie, hailed the judgment which he described as triumph for democracy, justice and equity.

He thanked the court for deciding the matter based on its merit.

Counsel to the PDP, Chief Ukpai Ukairo, in an interview with Wawa News Global, said his clients would appeal the judgment after due consultations with relevant structures of the party.

Chief Ukairo who expressed optimism for a favourable outcome at the appellate court, said he would also file a stay of execution of the judgment.

He said:”We are filing an appeal followed by a motion for stay (of execution). We have no doubt that the appeal will succeed because it has been so clear in so many decisions that such issues as congresses are internal affairs of the party. No court has jurisdiction over it.”

Prodded on the implications of the judgment, Ukairo said:”The court set aside the Ward congresses, the LGA congresses, and made consequential order nullifying the PDP primaries that nominated candidates of our parties for the LGA election.”

Recall that Ogbu, and two other aggrieved PDP chieftains – Francis Etuzu, Chinedu Kalu Kalu, in a separate suit marked HB/3/2024, are seeking the nullification of the Abia PDP State congress.

Wawa News Global investigation revealed that judgment on the HB/3/2024 is being expected on May 20.

Defendants in the pending suit include the PDP, the National Chairman of the PDP, the National Financial Secretary of the PDP, the National Organizing Secretary of the PDP, and the National Legal Adviser of the PDP.

Reliefs sought by the claimants include: “A declaration that by virtue of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Defendants lack the power or discretion to refuse to release the register of members, membership cards, nomination forms and other materials to the Claimants for the purpose of participating in the elections and contesting for party offices at the elections during the State Party Congress scheduled to hold on the 27” July 2024 or any other date in Abia State or at any other location.

“A declaration that by virtue of the Constitution of PDP, the Defendants lack the power or discretion to exclude the Claimants from participating in the elections as well as contesting for elective offices at the State Party Congress slated for the 27” July 2024 or – any other date.

“A declaration that the actions of the Defendants amount to a breach of the Claimants’ constitutional rights under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended).

” A perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants and each of them, by themselves, servants, agents, privies or otherwise howsoever from excluding or howsoever preventing the Claimants from participating in the elections or contesting for elective offices in the Abia State PDP congress to be scheduled by the Defendants at any date or location.”

 

Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email stevemanofgod2000@yahoo.com; wawanewsglobal@gmail.com Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria.

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