ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, Tuesday, challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court
sitting in Abuja to entertain the suit that was lodged before it by former
Minster of State for Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, challenging the outcome of
the governorship primary election it held in Lagos state on December 8.
PDP in a preliminary objection it
filed at the high court, queried the competence of the suit, describing it as a
classical example of an abuse of court process.
It told the court that Obanikoro
made criminal allegations including collusion, conspiracy, shootings and
scaring of delegates, without adducing sufficient particulars and proof.
The party noted that though the
plaintiff made serious allegations against the acclaimed winner of the said
primary election, Mr. Jimi Agbaje and its chieftain in Lagos State, Chief
Olabode George, he failed to join them as parties in the suit.
“There is no act of the 1st
Defendant giving rise to jurisdiction of the Federal High Court pursuant to
section 251 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any
applicable law whatsoever”, PDP argued.
It contended that the interim
order of injunction that Obanikoro is seeking from the court, if granted, would
adversely affect millions of members and supporters of the party who were
neither made parties nor put on notice with respect to the suit.
“That the 1st defendant (PDP) has
till Friday December 26, 2014, to send nominations for governorship candidates
to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, failing which it will
be shut out from presenting a governorship candidate for Lagos State.
“That the time table of the 2nd
Defendant (INEC) for the conclusion of gubernatorial candidates nominations for
all political parties in Nigeria has been set out several months ago, which
cannot be altered in the overriding interest of the country”, PDP added.
The party said it duly complied
with its Electoral Guidelines for Primary Elections 2014 in the conduct of the
Lagos state primaries, “there was no over voting during the said gubernatorial
primaries.
...By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
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