Delta Primary Poll: Ex-Speaker drags APC, INEC, Ogboru to court

…seeks nullification of results

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA-Erstwhile Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Ochei, on Thursday, asked the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to nullify the governorship primary election  of the All Progressive Congress, APC, conducted in the state.

Aside the APC, other Defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1085/ 2018, were the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the declared winner of the primary poll, Chief Great Ogboru.

The Plaintiff, through his lawyer Mr. Ahmed Rahi, SAN, prayed the court to declare that the APC gubernatorial primary election that held on September 30, was illegal and unlawful on the ground that delegates not known to law were used for the exercise.

He averred that the high court had in a judgment that was delivered by Justice Anwuri Chikere on June 19, authenticated a list of delegates of APC in Delta state.

He alleged that the national leadership of the Party sidelined the said list during the primary election.

The former Speaker told the court that contrary to the judgment, the APC leadership, used unknown delegates for the primary poll.

Consequently, he urged the court to nullify the purported primary election for being unlawful, unjust and deliberately carried out in disregard of subsisting judicial directive.

The Plaintiff equally prayed the court for an order compelling the APC to immediately conduct a fresh primary election with the list of delegates endorsed in the consent judgment of the Federal High Court.

As well as to issue an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC or its agents from accepting, recognizing or utilizing the name of Chief Ogboru who purportedly emerged as winner of the Delta State 2019 governorship primary election.

In his 40-paragraphed supporting affidavit, the Plaintiff told the court that he was denied fair participation in the primary election despite that he paid N22.5million for expression of interest and nomination forms.

He insisted that the court’s order was brazenly violated by the national leadership of the Party in the conduct of the primary poll election, saying unless the court intervened, the governorship election in Delta State would produce a product of fraud.

Meantime, both APC and Chief Ogboru, through their lawyer, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, said they have filed preliminary objections  to challenge the competence of the suit.

Owing to the development, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba adjourned the case till November 13 for adoption of all processes filed in respect of the case.