Alaibe vs Diri: Anxiety As Court Fixes Date For Judgment On PDP Primaries

March 10, 2020

There is palpable anxiety in Bayelsa following reports that the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State, has fixed a date to deliver judgment on the September 3 People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries.

One of governorship aspirant, Ndutimi Alaibe had dragged the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Douye Diri, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Embeleakpo Alale on behalf of himself, representing the elected local government chairmen, vice-chairmen, and councilors of the PDP to court over what he called “flawed process” of the PDP primaries.

The suit filed pursuant to Order 3(9) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019, seeks answers to questions bordering on obvious non-adherence to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2010, the People’s Democratic Party Constitution and Election Guidelines, by the state chapter of the party in the conduct of the ward congresses, inclusion of local government council officials on the delegates list and the procedure for the inclusion of three ad-hoc delegates.

At the resumed hearing of the case following the request by Governor Douye Diri for it to be moved to Owerri instead of Abuja, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe, counsel to Alaibe leading Donald Atogbo, Somina Johnbull and Michael Numa fought off attempts by the defence team to stall court proceedings.

Adedipe vehemently opposed the myriad of applications for adjournments arguing that it was an attempt to stall proceedings.

The court subsequently refused motions for adjournment on account of the constitutional time limit for the determination of the case and the reasons for the adjournment not being meritorious.

Thereafter, the judge fixed Tuesday, March 10 for judgment.