The 987 PDP adhoc delegates in Akwa Ibom, who were elected at the 30th April, 2022 ward congresses in the State, are challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja to hear the case, seeking to cancel the exercise.
In the suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/606/2022 between former member of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr. Friday Iwok, others and INEC, the Plaintiffs are challenging the legality of the conduct of the Congresses.
The delegates, alongside PDP, who are defendants in the suit, also challenged the locus standi of the Plaintiffs, whom they said, did not buy forms to participate in the congresses.
At the hearing of the matter today before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, Counsel to the delegates, Uwemedimo Nwoko, SAN and Counsel to PDP, Paul Usoro, SAN, asked the Court to dismiss the case on the grounds that the Plaintiffs did not explore and exhaust the internal dispute resolutions as provided for, in the PDP constitution, before litigation.
This came after Counsel to the Plaintiffs, Ahmed Raji, SAN, drew the attention of the Court to its “status quo ante bellum” which the Court ordered parties to maintain during the last sitting, against the backdrop of the conduct of PDP primaries and the participation of the defendants in the exercise.
But the Defense Counsel, Barr. Nwoko, a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Akwa Ibom State, objected to the submission of his learned brother, and argued that the status quo ante bellum was not a restraining order.
After hearing both parties, the Court urged the Plaintiffs to argue on their locus standi and the preliminary objections as canvased by the defendants.
It was at that point Counsel to the Plaintiffs, Ahmed Raji, SAN, applied for an adjournment to enable him study and respond to the preliminary objections.
The Court has adjourned the case to Wednesday, 1st June, 2022 for hearing on the preliminary objections.
© Harrison Essien
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