Again, court declares rescheduled PDP’s governorship primary in Ebonyi invalid
by Ebor Cletus Ralph Jr
On Tuesday, Justice Fatun Riman of the Federal High Court in Abakaliki invalidated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary that had been rescheduled in Ebonyi State.
This was the second time the court would declare the June 4 and June 5 primary election invalid.
The party had earlier chosen Dr. Ifeanyi-Chukwuma Odii as its candidate in the state, disregarding the outcome of the governorship primary held in May.
As a result of the rescheduled primary, Senator Obinna Ogba was chosen as the PDP’s candidate for governor of Ebonyi.
The party asked the Appeal Court to have the court’s decision overturned after the court rejected the rescheduled election.
The appellate earlier on Tuesday ordered a fresh hearing of the suit by the lower court.
At the proceeding, Justice Riman declared Chukwuma Odii as PDP’s authentic governorship candidate in Ebonyi.
He said the repeated primary was invalid because it was not monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The judge said: “The rescheduled primary was not done in line with the law.
“We, therefore, recognise the primary election of May 28 and 29 that elected Odii as governorship candidate in Ebonyi and that is our judgment.”
