By NewsCritic Reporters
As controversy continues to trail the Abia State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, primaries in Arochukwu State constituency, Delegates to the primary election in the constituency have sued the party seeking an Order of the court mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to recognise anybody as the flagbearer since no primary election was held in the constituency.
On the 22nd May, 2022 the PDP in Abia State conducted primaries for the Abia State House of Assembly to elect its candidates for the General Election. However, the primaries in Arochukwu didn’t hold as expected and no election has been conducted there since then.
In a suit filed before the Federal High Court Umuahia by Nwabueze Chukwueke, Esq on behalf of the Plaintiff, and with suit number FHC/UM/89/2022 between Kalu Chidindu Kalu (Plaintiff) and the PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, Rt Hon Asiforo Okere, Hon Emeka Ejiogu, the INEC & others as Defendants, the plaintiff who sued on behalf of the Delegates for the Arochukwu state constituency primaries is seeking for an Order of the court authorising the Defendants to conduct primary election for Arochukwu state constituency because there was no primary election conducted therein on 22nd May, 2022.
The Plaintiff is also claiming against the Defendants an Order of the court mandating the INEC not to recognise anybody as a PDP flagbearer for Arochukwu State Constituency since no election was held for the Arochukwu State Constituency.
In an eleven paragraph statement of Claim filed before the Federal High Court Umuahia, the Plaintiff said he is a bona fide member of the of the first Defendant ( PDP) and a native of Ututu in Arochukwu LGA of Abia State, Nigeria which is within Arochukwu State Constituency.
The Plaintiff further claimed that he was a delegate of PDP in respect of Ututu Ward in Arochukwu LGA, and averred that there was no election which the aspirants and delegates can confirm in Arochukwu state constituency.
He stated that as a delegate he never participated in the Primary election as a delegate not the other delegates since no electoral committee member was around to conduct the Arochukwu state constituency primary election, and pleaded a report written by the Electoral Committee members on Arochukwu state constituency primaries addressed to the PDP National Organising Wuse zone 5, Abuja showing there was no election.
