2023: Court Nullifies Rescheduled Ebonyi PDP Primaries, Declares Odii Governorship Candidate

The Federal High Court in Ebonyi has nullified the rescheduled Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) primaries in Ebonyi State and declared Dr Ifeanyi-Chukwuma Odii as authentic gubernatorial candidate of the party for the 2023 polls.

The party had rescheduled and conducted fresh primaries on June 4 and 5 after its initial primaries in Ebonyi on May 28 and 29 that elected Odii as its governorship candidate.

The Court ruled that the primary elections that produced Sen. Obinna Ogba and other candidates were illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Fatun Riman said the repeated primaries in the state on June 4 and 5 was not monitored by the Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to Riman, the rescheduled PDP primaries in Ebonyi is null and void.

“One, the rescheduled primaries was conducted when the suit filed on May 30 was already pending in the court.

“The primaries was not monitored by INEC, therefore, the rescheduled exercise of June 4 and 5, that elected Senator Obinna Ogba as another gubernatorial candidate and others are hereby nullifiied,” the Judge stated.

Mr Mudi Erhenede, Counsel for Odii, popularly known as Anyichuks thanked the court for the judgement.

According to Erhenede, the ruling has interpreted the constitution of the party.

“Selfish individual or group interests will by no means supercede the party’s interest. Good thing is that Justice has been done over the matter.

Efforts to reach the Counsel of Sen Ogba were abortive as they left the court earlier before the judgment.