…as PDP drags INEC, APC candidates to court over electoral violation
As the 2023 general elections draw closer, the gubernatorial ambition of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has suffered serious setback.
According to Punch, the People’s Democratic Party, Delta State has dragged 43 candidates of All Progressives Congress to court for allegedly violated 2022 Electoral Act.
The Plaintiff in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1406/2022, is praying the court to scrutinize and interprete the combined provisions of Section 82(1), (2), (5) and (8) and other enabling laws in that behalf, to interrogate the actions and inactions of APC in relations to notices served on INEC for congress and primaries.
Punch reported that the Executive Assistant to Delta State Governor on Communication Barr. Fred Oghenesivbe said that APC had deliberately violated relevant sections of the Electoral Act 2022, by not adhering strictly to stipulated requirements and time frame for the conduct of party Congress.
He said, “The legal infractions committed by the APC has now being subjected to legal interpretations and foreseeable consequential orders via a law suit filled at the Federal High Court Abuja, by PDP.
“The Plaintiff is praying the Court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to recognize all the candidates of the APC in Delta State, for the purpose of 2023 general elections, and to invalidate their candidacy.
“PDP is also praying the Court to declare as null and void and of no effect whatsoever, the candidacy of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the Governorship candidate, Chief Ede Dafinone for Senator, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi for Senate, Hon Waive Ejiroghene Francis for House of Representatives and all other candidates of the party standing for elections in 2023.
“The dates such notices were received, and whether or not APC complied with the periods specifically stated in the aforementioned sections of the Electoral Act 2022; and if not, to declare the congress, primaries and candidacy of all APC candidates in Delta State, null and void and of no effect whatsoever, and to expunge APC logo from 2023 ballot papers in the State”
Reacting to the suit, the APC Publicity Secretary in the state, E.V Onojeghuo described the suit as dead on arrival.
“This suit by the Delta State PDP is dead on arrival because it is an exercise in futility for a drowning political party that is clutching at straws.
“In the first place, the APC fully complied with the provisions of the extant Electoral Act regarding the issuance of the relevant notices regarding the conduct of our Party primaries. So we have nothing to fear as far as we are concerned” he said.
The APC chieftain said that PDP was an act of deranged desperation as the case is already statute barred by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, saying, APC is confident that the case will not see the light of the day.
Meanwhile, Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, would stroll into government house, as God has chosen to fight the battle for him and other candidates of the party.
