
One of the aggrieved aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2024 Edo governorship election, Alhaja Adizetu Umoru has filed a lawsuit to restrain the party from continuing the ongoing process to pick a flagbearer for the election.
The defendants in the suit include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); PDP; acting National Chairman of PDP, Umar Damagun; Honourable Setonji Koshedo; PDP NWC and PDP NEC.
Umoru is seeking to invalidate any action or steps, including the Ward Congresses conducted by the 2nd to 6th Defendants and/or the 1st Defendant in Edo state.
In the 14-page court document sighted by ThisNigeria, the plantiff prayed the court to determine:
“Whether having regard to the Provisions of Section 82 (1 & 5) of the Electoral Act, 2022, Article 47(1) of the 2nd Defendant’s Constitution (as amended 2017) and the Judgment of the Federal High Court, Per, Honourable Justice I. E. Ekwo delivered on the 9th of January,2024 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS1580/2023 between Hon. Geoffrey Ihentuge & Anor Vs. PDP & 4 Ors, the 1st Defendant can give effect or act on the letter titled “Re: Notice of Gubernatorial Primary Elections in Edo State” dated February 01, 2024 issued and/or endorsed by the 3rd and 4th Defendants and which was received by the 1st Defendant on the 2nd February, 2024
Whether having regard to the Provisions of Section 82(1 & 5) of the Electoral Act, 2022, Article 47(1) of the 2nd Defendant’s Constitution (as amended 2017), and the Judgment of the Federal High Court, Per Honourable Justice I.E. Ekwo delivered on the 9th January, 2024 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS1580/2023 between Hon. Geoffrey Ihentuge & Anor Vs. PDP & 4 Ors, the 4th Defendant – Hon. (Arc) Setonji Koshoedo can lawfully issue and/or endorse any letter of correspondence of the 2nd Defendant as its Secretary or Acting National Secretary.
Whether having regard to the Provisions of Section 82(1 & 5) of the Electoral Act, 2022, Article 47(1) of the 2nd Defendant’s Constitution (as amended 2017), and the Judgment of the Federal High Court, Per Honourable Justice I.E. Ekwo delivered on the 9th January, 2024 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS1580/2023 between Hon. Geoffrey Ihentuge & Anor Vs. PDP & 4 Ors, the 2nd Defendant’s letter titled “Re: Notice of Gubernatorial Primary Elections in Edo State” dated February 01, 2024 issued and endorsed by the 3rd and 4th Defendants and which was received by the 1st Defendant on the 2nd of February, 2024 is not a nullity and therefore vitiates the Ward Congresses held on the 4th day of February, 2024.
Whether upon the proper construction and application of the Provisions of Section 82(1 & 5) of the Electoral Act, 2022, Article 47 (1) of the 2nd Defendant’s Constitution (as amended 2017) and the Court Orders in the Judgment of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Per, Hon. Justice I.E. Ekwo made on the 9th January, 2024 in FHC/ABJ/CS1580/2023 between Hon. Geoffrey Ihentuge & Anor Vs. PDP & 4 Ors, the 2nd Defendant’s Ward Congresses held on the 4th February, 2024 pursuant to that notice is not a nullity and liable to be set aside.”
ThisNigeria reported that nine governorship aspirants of the PDP) had described the delegates congress held in Edo as fraudulent.
Speaking on behalf of the aspirants, Anslem Ojezua described the exercise as a mockery of the party’s regulations and processes, adding that the result sheets in all 102 wards were signed by only two officers.
Ojezua said that nine out of the 10 aspirants were excluded from the exercise and only saw the result sheets when they arrived in Abuja to lodge an appeal against the process.
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According to him, it was only when they got to Abuja that they saw that the result sheets for the exercise that was supposedly conducted simultaneously in 192 wards were signed by only two officials.
He said the sheets were signed by the chairman of the ward congress committee, Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State and the secretary of the committee.