Abia State High Court sitting at Bende, Presided over by Justice C.U. Okorafor has set aside the ward and local government area congresses conducted by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State, in 2024.
The Court also nullified the Councillorship and Chairmanship primaries conducted by the PDP in Abia State for the November 2nd, 2024 Abia local government election in the State.
The ruling followed a suit brought by a PDP chieftain, Enyinnaya Ogbu.
In the case marked HB/5/2024, the defendants were listed as 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.
The claimant had payed for reliefs “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.”
He cited Suit No: HB/3/2024 — Francis Etuzu & 2 Ors. V. PDP & 4 Ors, dated 23/7/2024 and 25/10/2024 respectively.
Delivering judgement in the matter, the presiding Judge, Hon. Justice C. U Okorafor, granted all prayers of the Claimant.
Speaking after the judgment, Counsel to the Claimant, Mr O. O Amuzie, hailed the ruling, which he described as triumph for democracy, justice and equity.
But the lawyer to the PDP, Ukpai Ukairo, said his client would appeal the judgment after due consultations with relevant structures of the party.
Ukairo, who expressed optimism for a favourable outcome at the Appeal Court, said he would also file a stay of execution of the judgment, adding that congresses were internal affairs of the party which no court has jurisdiction over.
