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Enugu: Court shifts judgment in suit seeking PDP’s disqualification from polls

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A Federal High Court sitting in Enugu has fixed February 17th to deliver judgment in the suit seeking the disqualification of all the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidates in Enugu State in the 2023 elections.

The court had scheduled to deliver judgement in the suit seeking to stop all the candidates of the PDP from taking part in the General Election on February 15th.However, the Judge, Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo didn’t show up in court today. The court said the reason for her absence was on health ground

The case was instituted by the Enugu North Senatorial district candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chika Idoko.

In the suit No: FHC/EN/CS/217/2022, Idoko had dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, and all its candidates in Enugu State to the court.

He is claiming that the PDP primary election was in contravention of Section 77 of the Electoral Act and should thus be voided, adding that the party should be punished in line with extant provisions of the Section 84 of the same Act.

His argument is that the party submitted its membership register to INEC on May 6, 2022, less than 30 days to its primary election, contrary to the provisions of the law.Our correspondent reports that legal fireworks resumed on Thursday, with all the parties adopting their process, including preliminary objections and addresses for the substantive suit.

Counsel to the applicant, Barr. T. Ekpenyong told the Court that the case of his client, (Idoko) pertains to the interpretation of Section 77 of the Electoral Act.

He said a letter from the first defendant, which was admitted in evidence, showed that the PDP submitted the register in contravention of the Electoral Act.

The plaintiff’s counsel also cited some cases to support his assertion that his client had the locus to file the suit.

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“We ask that the preliminary objection of the defendants be discountenanced,” Ekpenyong prayed the court.

The defendants, including the PDP, its guber candidate, Barr. Peter Mbah, National and State Assembly candidates were represented by Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, Anthony Ani, (SAN), Justina Offia (Mrs.) SAN, Barr. Ogochukwu Onyekwuluje.

With the exception of the first defendants, INEC, all the other defendants filed preliminary objections.

They argued that Idoko being a member of the ADC lacked the locus standi to file the matter, adding that it was also statute-barred, as according to them it was filed out of time.The defendants told the court that whereas the course of action arose on May 6, the plaintiff waited till September to file the court action.

While making its submissions to have the main suit struck-out, the PDP said it submitted the soft copy of its register to the INEC in March, 2022, adding that what it submitted in May was a hard copy to ease the job of the commission.

They urged the court to strike out the suit for lack of jurisdiction.

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PDP crisis worsens as party suspends BoT chairman, Adolphus Wabara

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Senator Adolphus Wabara
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The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Abia State chapter, has suspended the chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, BOT, Senator Adolphus Wabara, over alleged anti-party conducts.

The suspension was announced after a state executive council meeting in Umuahia. It noted that Wabara’s activities are unbecoming of a former senate president and chairman of the party’s BoT.

In a motion by the Treasurer of the party in the state, Chief Chizuru Kanu, and seconded by the Organizing Secretary, Prince Obinna Okey, the party stated that Wabara declared that the state governor, Dr. Alex Otti of the Labour Party, LP, has won a second term, just five months into his first tenure.

The party alleged that Wabara had refused to apologise over the anti-party conduct despite the time given him to do so.

State chairman of the Abia PDP, Elder Amah Abraham, disclosed that in line with disciplinary procedures of the party, a seven-man disciplinary committee would be set up to investigate Wabara’s alleged anti-party conducts.

The state chairman further stated that in compliance with the provisions of Articles 59(1) (e) & (f) of the party’s Constitution (2017 as amended), Wabara is barred from holding any party office and also removed from office as chairman of the party’s BoT.

The party said: “As officials of People’s Democratic Party (Abia State Chapter) and members of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the Party, who jointly and severally swore to protect and defend the Party’s Constitution (2017 as amended), we invite the attention of PDP members, stakeholders to the anti-party activities of the BoT Chairman of PDP, Senator Adolphus Wabara, to the resolution of the State Working Committee/State Executive Committee, to invoke the relevant provisions of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended) for the purposes of suspending from the party, Senator Adolphus Wabara, in line with the disciplinary procedures and guidelines and hereby unanimously resolved to State as follows:

His ‘crimes’

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“Our attention was drawn to a statement credited to Senator Adolphus Wabara, the BoT Chairman of PDP, in October 2023, and circulated on social media and national dailies, wherein the said Senator threw caution to the wind and in a brazen display of sabotage to the party, unilaterally endorsed the Labour Party governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, for a second term in office, barely five months after inauguration, and thereby brought the party to disrepute, hatred and/contempt, which is in violation to the provisions of Chapter 10, Article 58(c) and (f) of the Constitution of Party (2017 as amended) and therefore liable to punishment under Article 59(1) of the Party’s Constitution;

“Article 58(1) and Article 59(1) of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended) empowers the State Executive Committee, SEC, to discipline any member of the Party, who commits any offence(s) provided by the Party’s constitution, irrespective of the members status;

“Article 24(1)(v) of the same Constitution confers membership of the State Executive Committee (SEC) on the said BoT Chairman, as a former principal officer of the National Assembly, the said Senator being a former Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which he became under the platform of the Party;

“The unappealed Federal High Court judgement sitting in Ebonyi State, in Suit No. FHC/A1/CS/182/2024 Hon. OVUTA HERBERT ONYEDIKACHI & 2 ORS AND Chief ALI ODEFA & 2 ORS delivered on 29/11/2024, had declared unconstitutional and a breach of the principles of natural justice, equity and good conscience, the purported provision of Articles 57(7) and 59(3) of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended, which hitherto purportedly clothed the Senator with some molecule of immunity, from being sanctioned on disciplinary grounds by the State Executive Committee;

“The said Senator Adolphus Wabara has refused, failed and neglected to refute the said statement credited to him and circulated on social media and National dailies, since October 2023, despite repeated outcries, demands and notices to show cause why disciplinary sanctions should not be meted on him;

“The actions and inactions of Senator Adolphus Wabara have undermined the credibility of the PDP, demoralised party members /stakeholders and emboldened the opposition and gravely constitute gross anti party activity and conduct;

“The need to ensure discipline amongst party members across board, irrespective of status cannot be over emphasized;

“Consequent upon the far-reaching implications of Senator Adolphus Wabara’s acts of sabotage against the party, the SEC hereby invokes the provisions of Articles 57(1),(2),(3), 58(1)(b) & (f) and 59(1) of the party’s Constitution (2017 as amended) against Senator Adolphus Wabara and hereby places him on 1 suspension from party activities.

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‘Furthermore, in compliance with the provisions of Articles 59(1) (e) & (f) of the party’s Constitution (2017 as amended) Senator Adolphus Wabara is barred from holding any party office and therefore equally removed from office as BOT Chairman of PDP.”

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2027: Labour Party endorses Peter Obi presidential bid

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Peter Obi not arrested by DSS – Aide
Peter Obi
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…says Obi will unseat Tinubu in 2027

• Backs Otti, Rhodes-Vivour for gov

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party (LP) on Friday endorsed the 2023 Presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The party, which has equally endorsed Governor Alex Otti of Abia State’s re-election bid and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour as the party’s flag bearer in Lagos State, expressed confidence that Obi will unseat President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Arabambi, who disclosed this in a statement he made available to journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, said many Nigerians; especially youths are currently yearning for Obi due to Tinubu’s policies that are not favourable to the masses.

According to Arabambi, the main focus of the Labour Party in 2027 is to unseat President Tinubu in 2027 through democratic means, with Peter Obi as the front-runner for the presidency in 2027.

He said, “Our major focus is getting the APC out of office only through the ballot box if Nigerians so desire, and not through illegitimate means”.

He said, “Peter Obi would once again represent the LP in the 2027 presidential race, and reiterated the party’s determination to support Governor Otti’s re-election bid in Abia and Rhodes-Vivour’s gubernatorial candidate in Lagos”.

“We are united in our resolve to bring about a better Nigeria under the leadership of Peter Obi.”

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PDP BOT backs Udeh-Okoye as Party’s substantive National Secretary

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Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye
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…CSO warns judiciary against questionable stay of execution_

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, BOT, has thrown its full weight behind Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the party.

The decision was made known in a communique read to newsmen by the BOT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, after the BOT meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.

The BOT predicated its decision on the adoption of the report submitted by Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, who was earlier mandated by the BOT to study the court judgements on the political crisis surrounding the office of the National Secretary, which Udeh-Okoye and Senator Samuel Anyanwu are laying claims to.

The BOT equally commended the PDP Governors’ Forum and the PDP South East Zonal Executive, which had earlier recognised Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP for upholding the constitution of the party.

It consequently charged the National Working Committee to immediately swear in Udeh-Okoye as the national scribe of the PDP.

The communique reads, “The Board of Trustees of the PDP at its emergency meeting today, Wednesday February 5, 2025, thoroughly considered critical issues in the Party and resolved as follows:

“The BoT in exercise of its constitutional powers received, exhaustively considered and hereby adopt the report of its committee led by Barr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki SAN on the issue of the National Secretary of the PDP especially with regard to the declarative judgment of the High Court of Enugu as upheld by the Court of Appeal.

“Consequently, the BoT by adopting the report recognizes Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP in full obedience to the declaratory Judgment of the High Court of Enugu as also upheld by the Court of Appeal there being no contrary or overriding judgment from any Court of superior jurisdiction.

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“The BoT charges the National Working Committee (NWC) to recognize and immediately swear in Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary of the PDP in obedience to the Judgment of the Court of Appeal.

 

“The BoT urges all party organs, critical stakeholders, leaders and members across the country as well as all democracy development partners and institutions to be guided by the judgment of the Court of Appeal with regard to the position of the National Secretary of the PDP.

 

“The BoT commends the PDP Governors’ Forum, the National Working Committee, South East Executive Committee and all other organs of the Party for their steadfastness in upholding the provisions of the Constitution and operational Guidelines of the PDP.”

The BOT further commended and backed March 13 as the new date for the long-awaited National Executive Committee of the party, and urged party faithful to remain united and continue to work concertedly to strengthen the party to reclaim its rightful place in the leadership of Nigeria.

“The BoT expresses satisfaction with the PDP Governors’ Forum and the National Working Committee (NWC) for their concerted efforts in finally setting Thursday, March 13th, 2025 as the date for the much-anticipated National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of our Party especially bearing in mind that the NEC meeting is the platform for critical deliberations that will shape the future of our party and by extension, the future of Nigeria,” the communique added.

The BOT finally passed a unanimous Vote of Confidence in its Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and Secretary, Senator Ahmed Makarfi

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Meanwhile a civil society organisation, Competent Governance for Accountability and Trust, has advised the judiciary against any questionable stay of execution in the PDP secretariship saga, saying that such would only dent its image as the Court of Appeal, had become functus officio in the legal tussle

Speaking to newsmen on the BOT decision, the group’s National Coordinator, Godwin Oghenero Erheriene, said that PDP BOT’s decision, inspired by the Kabiru Turaki report, was on fours with the rule of law, as “the mere fact that you filed an appeal does not suffice as a stay of execution. More so when the Enugu High Court judgement upheld by the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, was declaratory.”

“We therefore hope that the rumours making the rounds that the other party, which had, within his rights, gone to the Supreme Court to contest the Court of Appeal verdict, is at the same shopping for a questionable stay of execution from Appeal Court, which has become functus officio as far as this matter is concerned.

“We must guide against such impunity and judicial lechery that undermine the integrity of our judiciary and political system. The judiciary must guide its integrity,” Erheriene said.

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