…Police seals party office in Abia
…As party postpones NEC, Caucus meeting
Stories by Ezeocha Nzeh
Tension has gripped the leadership of the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as an Abuja Federal High Court, has fixed May 10, for hearing in a suit seeking to stop the planned May 28, Presidential Primary Election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A presidential aspirant, Cosmas Ndukwe, had filed an ex-parte application for an order of injunction restraining the PDP from proceeding with its scheduled primary election if it fails to zone the ticket to the South east geo political zone
The former Deputy Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, prayed that the primary election should be put on hold, pending the hearing and determination of his suit, challenging the position of the party on the issue of zoning the party’s presidential ticket.
This is even as crisis has continued to rock the party in so many states over conduct of ward delegates for the national convention and primaries, with Police taking over the PDP state secretariat in Abia.
There are also reported crisis in Imo, Akwa Ibom and many other states where the exercise was declared inconclusive
When the matter was called on Thursday, counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Paul Erokoro (SAN), told the court that he received PDP’s affidavit stating why the primary election should not be stopped late on Wednesday.
Erokoro prayed the court for an adjournment to enable him to go through the document and respond to the reasons adduced to by the PDP against the suit of his client.
But Counsel to the PDP, Mr Mahmud Magaji (SAN), as well as counsel to the other defendants, did not oppose the request for an adjournment.
Justice Donatus Okorowo, subsequently fixed May 10, to hear the matter and asked parties to file and exchange their processes ahead of the day as he ordered that the PDP should appear before him on May 5, and show cause why the court should not grant Ndukwe’s request.
Ndukwe listed the PDP, its National Chairman, Mr Iyorchia Ayu, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/508/2022.
In a related development, the PDP) has announced a new date mfor its National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Caucus meeting earlier slated for May 10 to May 11.
PDP in a statement by its National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, on Thursday in Abuja, disclosed that the 96th NEC would now hold on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, a the NEC Hall of its national secretariat, while the National Caucus meeting has also been moved to same day at Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodge
PDP however explained that the earlier date clashed with the Local Government Delegate Election involving all members of our Party.
“The change is as a result of the Local Government Delegate Election scheduled for May 10, 2022. All inconveniences are regretted”. The statement said
In Abia, the crisis over the zoning of its governorship ticket which has pitted major stakeholders of the party in the state against eacgh other with protests and counter protests leading Police takeover of its secretariat in Umuahia
Some of the protesters accused the State Chairman of the party, Asiforo Okere, of imposing adhoc delegates on them ahead of the party’s primaries for the 2023 general elections.
The protesters who accused the chairman of doing everything to skew the process to favour an “anointed” aspirant, called for his resignation.
Another group of protesters however stormed the party Secretariat on Wednesday, in solidarity with the party chairman.
Under the aegis of Abia for Better Initiative and led by Festus Amaogu the pro Okere protesters warned against harassment of Abia PDP Chairman.
In response to development the party Secretariat located on Finbarr’s Road, Umuahia was cordoned off by stern looking policemen as visitors, including workers were turned back and not allowed into the premises
