2023: Court nullifies rescheduled Ebonyi PDP’s primaries, declares Odii guber candidate

The Federal High Court in Ebonyi has nullified the rescheduled People Democratic Party’s (PDP), primaries in Ebonyi and declared Dr Ifeanyi-Chukwuma Odii as authentic gubernatorial candidate of the party for the 2023 polls.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the party rescheduled and conducted a fresh primaries on June 4 and 5 after its Initial primaires in Ebonyi on May 28 and 29 that elected Odii a governorship candidate.

The Court ruled that the primary elections that produced Sen. Obinna Ogba and other candidates were illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Fatun Riman said the repeated primaries in the state on June 4 and 5 was not monitored by the Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to Riman, the rescheduled PDP primaries in Ebonyi is null and void.

“One, the rescheduled primaries was conducted when the suit filed on May 30 was already pending in the court.

“The primaries was not monitored by INEC, therefore, the rescheduled exercise of June 4 and 5, that elected Senator Obinna Ogba as another gubernatorial candidate and others are hereby nullifiied,” the Judge stated.

Mr Mudi Erhenede, Counsel for Odii, popularly known as Anyichuks thanked the court for the judgement.

According to Erhenede, the ruling has interpretated constitution of the party.

“Selfish individual or group interests will by no means supercede the party’s interest. Good thing is that Justice has been done over the matter.

Efforts to reach the Counsel of Sen Ogba were abortive as they left the court earlier before the judgment. (NAN)