Ahead 2023: PDP Drags APC Candidates, Chairman, NWC Members To Court

By Ayodele Oni

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is exploring an alternative legal path aside election to see its candidates during next year’s general election to victory.

In a fresh suit, the PDP has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to sack the Abdullahi Adamu led National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progresives Congress (APC) on account of illegality in the process that produced the party’s national officers and candidates.

PDP in the suit demanded that all candidates produced by APC for the 2023 general elections be disqualified from the race having been allegedly produced in breach and gross violation of the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Act 2022.

A Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier declared as illegal and unconstitutional the emergence of Osun state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola as a candidate during the APC primary election, citing similar issues.

The matter is still before the Court of Appeal.

The suit filed by Mr Ayo Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN on behalf of PDP, is predicated on a judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on September 30, 2022 which declared as ilegal, unlawful and unconstitutional, all actions and activities of Governor Mai Mala Buni as Chairman, Extraordinary Convention Committee of the APC.

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho has assigned the new suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1864/2022 to Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo for determination.

Justice Ekwo has fixed November 22 for mention of the suit with an order that all the 53 persons listed by PDP in the suit as defendants be served with hearing notices in their respective locations.

The Presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his running mate, Kashim Shetima, all Governorship candidates and their deputies are listed in the request for disqualification from 2023 election on the ground that their nominations are in breach of the Constitution and Electoral laws.

Also listed are the Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates of the party for the same reasons.