By; MKPUMA ENYINNA, Abakaliki
A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State has quashed the factional primary elections conducted by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on 4th and 5th of June, 2022 saying that it is null and void.
The first flagbearer of PDP primaries, Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii approached the court seeking a declaration that the purported cancellation of the Governorship primary election held in Ebonyi State on 29th May,2022 is unlawful, and of no effect in any manner whatsoever for offending the provisions of the electoral law.
Chief Odii through his Lawyer, Mudi Erhenede also sought a declaration that the National Chairman and the National Secretory of the Peoples Democratic Party cannot upturn the valid decisions of the National Working Committee and the National Executive Committee without holding a valid and subsequent meetings of the said organs of the
party for that purpose. Rulling on the matter at Federal High Court, Abakaliki Justice Riman agreed with the plaintiff and grabbed all the reliefs sought.
The Judge noted that the rescheduled primaries which took place on 4th and 5th May,2022 which produced Obinna Ogba as its flagbearer was held in flagrant disregard to the party’s guidelines and constitution.
The Judge also averred that the rescheduled primary election flouted the Electoral Law as amended as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not monitor the said election and therefore declared the Primaries null and void.
Addressing newsmen immediately after the judgement,the council to the complainant, Barr.Mudi Irenede said the decided to approach Federal High Court to intervain over the purported cancellation of the earlier conducted primaries of 28th and 29th May,2022.
He noted that the court has quashed the second factional primaries conducted on 4th and 5th June,2022 for flagrant disobedience of the pending court injunction restraining them from conducting another one.
“What happened is that he approached the Court for them to intervene in the conduct of Primaries by People’s Democratic party.
“As you will recall,on the 28th and 29th of May,2022 PDP primaries was held in the state for House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senatorial candidates were elected as candidates of PDP.
“Specifically,on 29th May,2022 Chief Ifeanyi Odii was duly elected as PDP Governorship candidate but some powers that be in PDP at the National level purported to have cancelled that exercise, and as an aggrieved members of PDP who won that primaries,our client approached Federal High Court as he is entitled to do under section 84(14) of the electoral act,2022 and judgement has been delivered on that regard.
“The court said that the PDP Primaries held on 4th and 5th June amounts to a nullity because the were carried out while the case was pending.You and I know that it is impunity and lack of respect for the rule of law.
“We are grateful and believe that PDP as a responsible party will obey this judgement.”
