A Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, on Tuesday annulled the rescheduled Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) primaries held in the state on June 4-5.
Judge Fatun Riman confirmed the May 28 and 29 primaries that were canceled by the PDP’s National Labor Committee (NWC).
The court prevented the PDP from refusing to receive and transmit Ifeanyi Odili’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s candidate for the 2023 Ebonyi gubernatorial election.
Odili won the canceled gubernatorial primary, while Obinna Ogba, a senator, won the rescheduled election that was annulled by the court.
The PDP in Ebonyi state has split into two factions due to a leadership dispute.
The faction of the party led by Silas Onu held the May primaries, while the faction led by Tochukwu Okorie held the rescheduled primaries.
Both factions have filed different legal cases in their fight for control of the party structure in the state and the search for the party’s candidates for the 2023 general elections.
After the PDP canceled the gubernatorial primary, which it won, Odili challenged the action in court.
Mr. Odili, through his lawyer, Mudi Erhenede, asked the court to declare that the PDP’s national chairman and national secretary cannot override “valid” decisions of the NWC and the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC). , without holding a meeting. valid and subsequent meetings of said party bodies for that purpose.
He asked the court to declare that the NWC and NEC of the PDP could not have held and did not hold any meeting of said party bodies while it was engrossed in conducting its special National Convention for the purpose of electing its 28 June presidential candidate. May for the 2023 elections.
He also asked the court to declare that the PDP could not therefore cancel the result of its gubernatorial primary election held on May 29 in Ebonyi state.
The judge, Mr. Riman, in his ruling, agreed with the plaintiff and granted all requested remedies.
The judge noted that the PDP held the rescheduled primaries in blatant disregard for the party’s guidelines and constitution.
He said the rescheduled primary violated the amended election law, as INEC did not supervise it.
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