By Sylvia Etta
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has asked the Federal High Court to dismiss a suit filed by some members of the party in Cross River State praying for a restraining order on the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, from using the result of the ward congresses other than the results submitted by the electoral panel.
The panel had allegedly submitted handwritten results of the ad hoc delegates’ election from Cross River State as opposed to the results compiled by the ward and local government collation officers across the 196 council wards and the 18 local government areas of the state.
But solicitors to the party, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) and Paul Erokoro (SAN) filed a preliminary objection to the suit, saying the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to file the suit.
They argued that an ad hoc delegate did not have a legal right to sue the party as their responsibility was merely ad hoc.
They further contended that ad hoc delegates only constitute about 50 per cent of the entire delegates required for the electoral college for party primaries while the remaining 50 per cent were statutory delegates.
It was their contention that “only candidates have the right to sue the party. Ad hoc delegates are not candidates or aspirants.”
The Senior Advocates further argued that the decision of the National Executive Committee on the ad hoc delegate’s process was final and not subject to litigation by any party member.
They further maintained that the suit was a breach of the constitution of the party and the guidelines of the party primaries.
The court adjourned the case to tomorrow November 18.
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