By Bukola Olasanmi
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the conduct of fresh Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in Ebonyi State for the State House of Assembly, National Assembly, and Governorship in the state’s 2023 elections.
Justice Binta Nyako, in delivering its ruling, said new PDP congresses in Ebonyi should be conducted within 14 days to elect its candidates.
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She also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the new state congresses to be held by the PDP in preparation for the election.
The decision followed a suit filed by Mr. Okoroafor Tochukwu Okorie against the PDP and INEC, with the case number FHC/ABJ/CS/1319/2021.
The court agreed with the plaintiff’s counsel, Okoro Mkemakolam, that the cancelled PDP primary in Ebonyi was held in violation of the Court of Appeal’s order, staying the execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, which had declared Joseph Sila Onu as the party’s Ebonyi State Chairman.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court’s Abuja division recognized Joseph Silas Onu as the genuine Chairman of the PDP’s Ebonyi State chapter in a judgment delivered on April 13, 2022.
Dissatisfied with the decision, Okoroafor Okorie, through Okoro, petitioned the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal to vacate the lower court’s decision.
The appellant then moved for a stay of execution of the Federal High Court’s judgment, which the appellate court granted.