A federal high court sitting in Abuja has dismissed an application seeking the removal of the National and stateAssembly members elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, Anambra State.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola struck out the suit filed by Senator Annie okwonkwo, Chris Uba and forty-two others on the ground that it lacked merit.
The Judge held that the power to conduct primary elections and nomination of candidates is vested on the national executives, contrary to the plaintiffs claims.
These are disappointing times for a former Senator from Anambra state, Annie Okonkwo, Chris Uba and forty-two others.
The plaintiffs in their suit had claimed to be rightfully nominated by the PDP in Anambra state for the national and state assembly offices.
But in the judgment which lasted about an hour, Justice Ademola ruled that their positions cannot stand in the face of the law having been nominated by the party’s state executives .
While Citing some Supreme Court judgement delivered on January 29 and February 24, 2016, the Judge noted that the state organ lacks power under the party’s constitution to nominate candidates for general election.
In his reaction to the judgment, Counsel to the plaintiffs expressed dissatisfaction.
The respondents counsel, however hailed the court’s decision.
Senator okwonkwo, Chris uba and forty-two others had asked the court to declare that it was unlawful for INEC to remove their names after they had earlier been published as PDP candidates, without a court order.
They also prayed the court for an order mandating INEC to restore their names as candidates sponsored by the party for the 2015 election.
