Court orders PDP to conduct fresh primary election for 3 federal constituencies in Ogun within 14 days
By Kolawole Olayinka, Abeokuta
A Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to conduct fresh primary for Abeokuta North, Obafemi-Owode and Odeda federal constituencies within 14 days.
The court also ordered that the new primary must be supervised by an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
Justice J.O Abdulmalik, who gave the ruling in a suit No/FHC/CS/85/22 between Abiodun-Oni Samuel Oluwafemi as the plaintiff against PDP, INEC and two others, said the primary must be conducted within 14 days from the day of the ruling.
The court also ordered that the party must make use of the original delegates list for the rerun.
The court ordered that the candidate that emerged through the fresh primary should be recognised by INEC.
“I order that the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants and/or its officials or organs to wit: National Executive Committee, the National Chairman of the 1st defendant to conduct a fresh primary election for the House of Representatives for Abeokuta North, Obafemi/Owode and Odeda Federal Constituency Ogun State by the Electoral Act 2022 and by the published electoral guideline for primary elections within 14 days from the grant of this judgement.
“I order that the 4th defendant give effect to Section 84(112) and of the Electoral Act 2022, and to decline any result in violation of electoral guidelines for the primary elections of the 1st defendant, the procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for various elective positions.
“I also grant a restraining order to the 2nd and 3rd defendants from recognizing or accepting any candidate concerning Abeokuta North, Obafemi/Owode and Odeda Federal Constituency, Ogun State.
“I further enlarge the time within which the Fresh primary result from Abeokuta North, Obafemi/Owode and Odeda Federal Constituency, Ogun State should be accepted by the 4th defendant, to two weeks from the conduct of the fresh primary election.”
