An Enugu State High Court granted an interim injunction on Friday, prohibiting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, and other named Defendants from recognizing or giving effect to any other three-man ad hoc delegate list other than the list that emerged from the congress held in all Enugu State wards on April 30, 2022.
The court also barred the PDP and other named defendants from allowing any other three-man ad hoc delegates to participate in the PDP’s Primary Election for the selection of the Governor of Enugu State, members of the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives), members of the State House of Assembly, and election of National Delegate candidates in all Enugu State constituencies other than those whose names appeared on the list that emerged from the primaries.
The order will subsist until the hearing of the Motion on Notice filed on 6/5/2022 in respect of the same issue.
The court presided over by Hon Justice HO Eya granted the injunction following an Exparte motion filed by O. J. Uchenna Esq on behalf of the following Applicants: Prince Paul Nnaji, Tobias Ogbonna Onu, Cyril Obi Chukwu and Kevin Ikechukwu Agbo, in SUIT NO. E/379/2022, wherein they deposed in the supporting 44-paragraph Affidavit that a three-man Delegate Congress had been held in Enugu State on the 30th day of April, 2022, “that the Congress was monitored, supervised and duly authenticated by the five (5) man electoral panel set up by the National Working Committee of the PDP.”
They also averred that “the list of those that emerged from the congress had already been submitted and received by the PDP at its Head Office in Abuja; and that no other three-man Delegate Congress ought to be conducted in Enugu State or anywhere for Enugu State, having successfully concluded the one held on the 30th day of April, 2022.”
Others listed as defendants in the suit are: Hon Bature Mohammed, Hon Augustine Nnamani, Hon Innocent Ezeoha and Dr Christian Iyiani.
The motion, dated 4/5/2022 and filed on the 6th day of May, 2022, was brought pursuant to Order 39 Rule 3 of the High Court Rules of Enugu State, 2020, and under the inherent jurisdiction of the Honourable Court.
Recall that the 5-man Electoral Committee from the National Secretariat of the PDP described the April 30, 2022 ward congresses in Enugu State, which were monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as peaceful, transparent and credible.
Speaking when members of the PDP electoral committee supervised the ward congresses held to elect three-man ad hoc delegates, the Chairman of the panel, Prince Vincent Yandev Amaabai, expressed delight at the peaceful atmosphere of the exercise across the 260 electoral wards in Enugu State.
The Chairman added that the electoral processes were well organized, and commended the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led PDP leadership in Enugu State for the peaceful outcome of the ward congresses in the state.
He disclosed that the panel will submit the names of those who emerged winners from the ward congresses to the National Secretariat in Abuja, stressing that “nobody can change delegates who emerged from the exercise”.