Abia PDP Primaries: Prof Ikonne Faces Setback As Samson Orji Heads To Appeal Court

A group of legal professionals under the auspices of Concerned Lawyers for Advancement of Democracy has frowned at the judgement delivered by Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court Judge in Umuahia in relation to the Abia State PDP governorship election primaries, saying it is a miscarriage of justice.

The group said one of the aspirants in the election, Mr. Samson Orji had instituted a legal proceeding seeking to void the primary election which produced Mr. Uche Ikonne on the ground that it was marred by irregularities.

The group led by one Barrister Thomas Ikechukwu Iko disagreed with the position of the judge in her judgment in which she ruled in favour of the party and its governorship candidate.

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The judge according to the group posited that the non-physical presence of Samson Orji on the day of the primary election means a withdrawal from the race, a position it faulted, saying Samson Orji proved beyond reasonable doubt that he participated in the election which earned him votes as published by PDP.

Concerned Lawyers for Advancement of Democracy in a press release maintained that the judgment as delivered by Justice Evelyn Anyasike has impacted negatively on the democratic tenet because it finds it hard to reconcile the evidence made available to the judge and the judgment that was delivered.

The group stated that the electoral act spelled out the process of withdrawing from the party’s primary election and being absent is not one of them despite the fact that the plaintiff was never absent.

The Concerned Lawyers for Advancement of Democracy posited that the only way to withdraw from an election primary is through writing a withdrawal letter and submitting to the party which Samson Orji never did.

The group went forward to state that the judgement is a miscarriage of justice that may have been influenced.

“What is worrisome is that the Judge neglected petitions brought before her in the contestation of the primary election which was marred by irregularities and therefore cannot produce credible results,” Says Iko.

Concerned Lawyers for Advancement of Democracy revealed that it has gathered that PDP is making frantic efforts to uphold the judgment of the lower court which they claim went contrary to the electoral act even though they see the judgment as a clear miscarriage of justice.

The group is calling on the appellate court not to uphold the judgement of the lower court and restore confidence in the hearts of the people who see the court of law as the only hope for a common man to seek justice.