By Stanley Nwanosike
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council in Enugu State has hailed the Federal High Court, Enugu, for upholding the primary elections that produced its governorship and National Assembly candidates.
The Enugu North senatorial district candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr Chika Idoko, had sued INEC, PDP and the party’s candidates claiming that the PDP primary elections contravened Section 77 of the Electoral Act.
In his suit marked FHC/EN/CS/217/2022, Idoko also requested the court to void the elections.
He also prayed the court to punish the PDP by disqualifying its governorship, National and House of Assembly candidates.
Delivering judgment on Friday in Enugu, Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo struck out the suit, stating that Idoko had no locus standi to initiate an action into what is essentially an internal affair of the PDP.
The PDP Campaign Council described the court ruling as victory for democracy and in tandem with established previous judicial decisions.
“We welcome the judgment by the court in upholding the primary elections that produced our candidates, the PDP’s Director of Public Communications, Chief Nana Ogbodo, stated on Friday.
“This is victory for democracy and in tandem with the provisions of our laws and decisions by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in matters of this nature.
“Now that the court has laid this matter to rest, we must seize this opportunity to advice opposition parties and candidates, who were hoping to secure electoral victory by subterfuge, technicalities, and propaganda to utilise the remaining campaign window to raise their manifestos.
“They should proceed to the nooks and crannies of Enugu State to market their candidates to the electorate as the PDP and its candidates had been doing since 2022.
“Meanwhile, we appreciate our party faithful and supporters for standing by the party every step of the way and urge them to get their voter cards ready to vote for the PDP,’’ he added. (NAN)
