A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, its national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, national secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, among others, to ensure that only those who emerged as delegates in the ad-hoc delegates election monitored by INEC in Edo State participate in the party primary elections to choose candidates for the various elective offices.
The order was made by Justice Inyang E. Ekwo on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 upon an exparte motion brought by some of the special delegates on the behalf of others.
The delegates who brought the motion were believed to be members of the mainstream PDP in the state, loyal to Chief Dan Orbih.
There have been both surreptitious and overtly desperate moves by the Governor Godwin Obaseki group that defected to the party in 2020 shortly before the governorship poll that saved Obaseki’s re-election, to take control of the process.
But the attempts by the governor’s group had fallen through as the Orbih group continued to be steps ahead.
THE CONCLAVE reports that Orbih, who is former state chairman and now national vice-chairman, South-South, has continued to ensure the cohesion of the mainstream PDP group, to which he has been providing leadership for over a decade until 2020 when he became National Vice Chairman (South-South).
The plaintiffs who brought the case on behalf of the 19 national delegates were Fred Attah, Henry Amienkhenan, Gideon Ikhine and Prince Tijani Ugbodaga.
In the affidavit of claim, they affirmed that they were elected during the May 10, 2022 Local Government Congresses and as such no other person outside those who emerged should be given the right as national delegates in the primary elections.
The judge considered their pleadings and gave the following order:
“An Order of interim mandatory injunction directing the Defendants/Respondents to recognize the Plaintiffs/Applicants and all those delegates whose names are contained in Exhibit A12 and A12A attached to the Affidavit in Support of this Motion Ex-Parte who were elected during the Local Government Local Government Area Congress of the 1st Defendant/Respondents on the 10th day of May, 2022 to participate fully and vote at the forthcoming Delegates/Primary Elections of the 1st Defendant in Edo State and the Special National Convention of the 1st Defendant for the election of the 1st Defendant’s Presidential Candidate pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
The court order has effectively conferred validity and right of participation on the delegates of the mainstream PDP in Edo aligned to Orbih.
They will be part of the primary elections to produce the candidates of the party in the forthcoming general election. (GWG report adapted/edited)
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