AGAIN,P.D.P IN TARABA ON FIRE OVER 2015 ELECTIONS

Aggrieved PDP Governorship Aspirant Goes to Court

THE OPPOSITION AND OTHER FORCES MAY WIN IN TARABA IN 2015

An aggrieved governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Taraba State, for the 2015 general election, Amb. John Musa Jen, has approached an Abuja High Court requesting it to order one Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku to stop parading himself as the governorship candidate of PDP in Taraba State for the forthcoming rescheduled April 11^th 2015 general elections, pending the determination of the suit.

Joined in the suit as defendants is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Muazu (National Chairman PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In an originating suit No. Phc/Abj/es/2014, Counsel to the Plaintiff Olajide Ayodele SAN seeks the court to declare that the primary election for the selection of a gubernatorial candidate for the PDP for Taraba State, held in Abuja at the National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Plot 1970, Michael Okpara Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja on the 11^th day of December 2014, is null, void and of no effect whatsoever.

According to the originating summons, the plaintiff also urged the court to declare that holding of the primary election with only the statutory delegates from Taraba State, consisting the electoral body of the party is contrary to the provisions of the Guidelines for holding of primaries within the party and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

The plaintiff also requested that the holding of the primary outside Jalingo, the Taraba State capital be considered as illegal as it is contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

He also asked for a declaration that the congress of the Taraba State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at which only statutory delegates were allowed to be present and which excluded the Ad-hoc Ward delegates of the party as provided by the Guidelines for primary elections of the gubernatorial candidates of the party is contrary to the Guidelines for the election of the party  and the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and therefore null, void and of no legal effect whatsoever.

The Plaintiff further pleaded that an injunction restraining the 2^nd and 3^rd Defendants from forwarding the name of the 1^st Defendant Darius Dickson Ishaku to the 4^th Defendant – Independent National Electoral Commission as the gubernatorial candidate of the 2^nd Defendant in the forthcoming governorship election in Taraba State and a further injunction restraining the 1^st Defendant from presenting and or parading himself as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP or either to the 4^th Defendant or to any other person or persons as well as declare that all the steps so far taken by the 2^nd Defendant in the conduct of the primary election of the gubernatorial candidate of the 2^nd Defendant are contrary to the provisions of the Guidelines of the 2^nd Defendant for the conduct of primary election, and the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and are therefore null, void and of no legal effect whatsoever.