Court Throws Out Suit Seeking To Void Abia PDP Primaries

A Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, on Friday, dismissed a suit seeking to nullify Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in Abia State.

The primaries produced Prof. Uche Ikonne as governorship candidate.

Seven plaintiffs Messers: Ndudi Nwagbara, Egege Ikedichi, Ochulo Ulonam Junior, Onyedikachi Abaribe, Smile Esinna, Francis Oparocha and Chikwe Chigozie had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); the PDP; and the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; as the first, second and third defendants respectively.

The plaintiffs, had among other prayers, asked the court to sack all the Abia PDP candidates for the 2023 general elections because the three-man delegates election which produced them never held.

Delivering judgement on the matter, the presiding judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike held that the conduct of party delegate congress was entirely an internal affair of a political party and not justiciable in law.

The court held that “no law gives delegates right of action” in court to challenge the conduct of delegate congress.

According to Justice Anyadike, the suit can only be justiciable in the court if it were brought by an aspirant who participated in a primary election. The court subsequently dismissed the suit after resolving it in favour of the defendants, declaring that the plaintiffs lacked locus to sue.