Toba Owojaiye reporting
Benin City, Edo state
A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order directing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to justify the exclusion of 381 delegates elected during its ward congress on Feb. 4 from participating in the upcoming primary set for Thursday.
Truth Live News gathered that the order was made by Justice Inyang Ekwo in response to an ex-parte motion filed by the plaintiffs’ counsel, Adaze Emwanta. The motion, filed on Feb. 8, sought two orders: firstly, for the defendants to explain why the delegates should be excluded, and secondly, for a halt on any action until the matter is resolved.
The plaintiffs, comprising three aggrieved ad-hoc delegates representing 378 others, filed the motion against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, its national secretary, and the vice chairman of the south-south region.
They argued that it is crucial for justice to prevail in granting their reliefs. Despite efforts to serve the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th defendants, only INEC was successfully served. A motion for substituted service has been filed for the remaining defendants, with no opposition noted.
The plaintiffs’ counsel proposed pasting the processes at the PDP headquarters for service, which was granted by Justice Ekwo, who ordered the service to be completed within two days. INEC’s lawyer, Hassan Aminu, informed the court that they did not file any process in response to the order, as they had no objections. The judge set the next hearing for Feb. 28, directing the PDP, its national secretary, and the vice chairman (south-south) to demonstrate why the reliefs should not be granted. This legal development underscores the tensions surrounding the upcoming primary in Edo State and highlights the judicial intervention sought by aggrieved parties within the PDP.