EDO (Sundiata Post) – A floodgate of litigation has put tangible pressure on the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] over the conduct of Edo governirship primary election.
There is anxiety in the party as plans for the governorship primary in the State on Thursday, February 22, 2024 got underway.
Reports that the arrangements for the primary poll were being put under pressure following a fresh law suit seeking to stop the party from using the delegates list from the controversial ad-hoc delegates election conducted on February 4, 2024.
Two party chiefs Adomokha Alabi and Christopher Obbarere in suit FHC/ABJ/CS196/2024 filed at the Federal High Court had dragged through the court the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the PDP, the acting national chairman, Amb Umar Damagun, the sacked national secretary, Hon (Arc) Setonji Koshoedo, the National Working Committee and the National Executive Committee, as first to sixth defendants respectively.
The gavamen of the litigants in the court case is the propriety of Koshoedo who was sacked as Acting National Secretary by a court order on January 9, 2024 signing the Notice for the Edo State Primary election of the PDP.
Recall that the notice was issued on February 1, 2024 which gave rise to the election of ward delegates.
Among the reliefs being sought by the plaintiffs is the invalidation of the delegates produced by the ward delegates election on the claim that the notice for the election issued by Koshoedo was irregular and invalid as he was not legally empowered to do so.
Writing to the PDP acting national chairman to desist from proceeding with the primary election in Edo State scheduled for Thursday, February 22, 2024, the plaintiffs through their lawyer, A. Labi-Lawal, wrote:
“We act on the firm instruction of MOSES ADOMOKHA ALABI and CHRISTOPHER EBODE OBOARERE who are active members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hereinafter referred to as “Our Client”.
“Recall that few days after the Judgement in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1580/2023, between Hon. Geoffrey Ihentuge & Anor Vs. PDP & 4 Ors. your party issued a Notice of Primary election dated February, 01, 2024 received by INEC on the 2nd day of February, 2024 signed by Hon. (Arc) Setonnji Koshoedo purporting to be Acting National Secretary in deviance of the Judgment of the Court.
“It was consequent upon the said letter of February 01, 2024 that Ward Congresses were said to have been conducted on the 4th of February, 2024 across the 192 wards in Edo State wherein delegates were said to hav been produced in preparation for the Primary Election of 22nd February, 2024.
“We wish to bring to the notice of your good offices that there is a pending suit before His Lordship, the Hon. Justice I.E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja challenging the issuance of that notice via the letter of February 01, 2024 and by extension the Ward Congresses that were held on 4th February 2024 that produced the delegates in preparation for the Party Gubernatorial Primary Election.
“The suit for all intent and purposes strikes at the very foundation of the primary election as it challenges the delegate list your party intends to use in the conduct of the primary election and your Party is kindly advised not to put it self in a collision course with the Federal High Court of Nigeria by giving effect to the list of delegate produced from the Ward Congress that was held on the 4th day of February, 2024 which was accentuated by the Notice issued via the questioned letter dated 1st February 2024.
“May we kindly draw the attention of your Party to the settled principle of law on issues of this nature as expounded by our Court in the plethora of authorities, one of which is the case of OJUKWU Vs MILITARY GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE & ORS (1985) LPELR-21274 (CA) Pp. 54-55.
“Consequently, your good offices is hereby advised to desist forthwith from giving effect to the list of delegates produced from the Ward Congress that was held on the 4th day of February 2024, and await the final outcome of the suit in Court.”
