Zoning: PDP Objects As Court Adjourns Suit Challenging Party’s Presidential Primary

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has again fixed May 10 to hear applications in favor and against the party’s forthcoming presidential primaries holding on May 28.

THE WHISTLER reported that Ndukwe Cosmas Chukwudi, one of the Presidential aspirants of the PDP had on April 28 urged the Justice Donatus Okorowo to stop the presidential primaries for contravening its zoning agreement and for not agreeing to give the ticket to a candidate from the South East.

The ex parte motion was filed by his counsel, Paul Erokoro, but the judge rather fixed May 5 for parties to show cause why the motion should or should not be granted.

At the resumed court hearing on Thursday, Erokoro told the judge that
the PDP served him with its affidavit to show cause yesterday along with the preliminary objection.

He asked for a short adjournment for him to reply on points of law.

“My lord, most of the issues raised in the affidavit has been replicated in the preliminary objection and we will look at it if we are given more time.

“But for now my lord, we wish to respond to the affidavit to show cause; we can do so within 48 hours,” he said.

On his part, the PDP counsel, M. Magaji SAN, said he will not oppose an adjournment.

Kalu Kalu Agu counsel for third defendant ( Senator Samuel N. Anyanwu, PDP National Secretary ), told the judge that he has already filed an appeal at the appellate court.

“On our part, we are not also opposed to the application for adjournment. None of the processes has been served on the third defendant including the order to show cause but in response we filed our memorandum of conditional appearance dated 29 April and also a notice of preliminary objection.

“My lord, we also filed a notice of appeal in this matter dated on April 22 and filed same day,” he said.

“Come back on the 10th of May by 12 noon,” the judge ruled.