The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has written to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), informing it that it had in its possession a valid court order that restrained it from accepting, recognising or treating as nominated candidates of the party, any candidate who did not emerge in accordance with the order of the court.
The commission, through its secretary, Mrs Auguasa C. Ogakwu, in a letter dated December 9, 2014, addressed to the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu advised the party to be guided by the order of the court while taking action on the Oyo State delegates’ list.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had, on Friday, ordered INEC not to recognise any list of delegates for PDP primaries in Oyo State for the selection of candidates for the state House of Assembly and governorship, other than the list of candidates that emerged from the ward delegates congresses of November 24, in 351 wards in the state.
Delivering judgment in an originating summons filed by Mr Adelowo Aremu Ademola against PDP, the party’s national legal adviser, Victor Kwon; its national organising secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha; chairman and secretary of the Oyo State electoral committee, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong and Senator Ndoma Egodo, as well as INEC, Justice Evoh Chukwu ordered the PDP and the electoral body not to recognise any list except the one marked as Exhibit G before the court.
The court also restrained the defendants from using any other delegates other than those who emerged victorious at the said congress for the selection of candidates for the offices of House of Assembly and governor.
The plaintiff, among other things, sought the determination of the court on “whether having regards to the Electoral Act, 2010, provisions of the constitution and the PDP electoral guidelines for primaries, any delegate other than delegates who emerged victorious at the ward delegates congress held on November 24, 2014 is eligible to vote at the party’s primaries to nominate candidates for the House of Assembly, National Assembly and governorship elections in Oyo Sate.”
Four questions were brought before the court for determination by the plaintiff, alongside eight prayers which were all granted in his favour. Agency report
