A Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from using the results of the ward congresses conducted on November 1, in Akwa Ibom State to conduct primaries to select the governorship candidate.
The court presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola granted the order ex-parte after hearing Godwin Obla (SAN), counsel to a former Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government and a governorship aspirant in the state, Umana Okon Umana.
The PDP, its chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are the defendants in the suit.
The judge also ordered INEC not to recognise the results of the ward congresses for any purpose as Umana and his supporters were prevented from participating in the said congresses, following a statement made by the PDP excluding him (Umana).
The court also issued an interim injunction restraining PDP from excluding or in any way or manner preventing Umana from participating in the governorship primaries slated for November 29, 2014, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by Umana.
Justice Ademola also issued an order of interim injunction against the PDP from acting on a press statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisah Metuh, on 29 October 2014 to the effect that only governorship aspirants from Eket Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State were eligible to contest the party’s primaries.
Umana had applied to the court to challenge the decision of PDP to exclude him from the party’s primary for the next governorship elections in the state.
In the suit he asked the court to determine whether the PDP could exclude him from participating in the party primaries for the selection of its candidate for the state governorship election in 2015.
Source:dailyindependent
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