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

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

The presiding Judge, Fatun Roman, said the repeated primaries in the state on June 4 and 5 were not monitored by the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“The rescheduled PDP primaries in Ebonyi is null and void. One, the rescheduled primaries were conducted when the suit filed on May 30 was already pending in the court.

“The primaries were 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 nullified,” the judge stated.

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

Mudi Erhenede, counsel for Mr Odii, popularly known as Anyichuks, thanked the court for the judgement. He said the ruling interpreted the constitution of the party.

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

Efforts to reach the counsel for Mr Ogba were abortive as they left the court earlier before the judgement. 

(NAN)