Ogun: Court Orders PDP, INEC To Recognise Primaries

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Nigeria 2015 Election, Politics Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014

The Federal High Court in Lagos has restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee from accepting any primaries for next year’s election except those conducted with the Ad Hoc ward delegates list.

Justice Okon Abang, who made the order, also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting as valid any such primaries or publishing any list other than the Ad Hoc Ward delegate list prepared by the Adebayo Dayo-led executive.

The judge granted an ex-parte applicant by the plaintiffs’ counsel, Mr Ajibola Oluyede, allowing them to serve the alleged contemnors with the motion on notice for committal outside Lagos, such as in Abuja and Ogun State.

Justice Abang directed PDP and INEC to ensure that the primaries in Ogun State for the election of candidates for next year’s election scheduled to hold on December 6, 7 and 8 are conducted only with the Ad Hoc Ward delegate list.

The plaintiffs are alleging that the respondents had been attempting to remove them from office, despite two Federal High Court judgments affirming the legality of their positions.

Justice Abang, on Monday, warned that he would not tolerate any disobedience of his orders by anybody.

He said he would compel former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole and former Ogun State governor Gbenga Daniel to appear before him if they fail to appear before him on December 15.

Other alleged contemnors in the proceedings are the PDP, Dave Salako and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The court had earlier restrained the PDP from dissolving the Adebayo Dayo-led executive in Ogun State. Justice Abang ordered parties to maintain status quo ante bellum.

However, Oluyede said the PDP was in the process of holding primaries with another delegates list other than that prepared by the Adebayo-led executive.