Edo PDP Crisis: INEC Bows To Court, Recognises List Of Candidates From Dan Orbih’s Faction

Edo PDP Crisis: INEC Bows To Court, Recognises List Of Candidates From Dan Orbih’s Faction

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has written to the Peoples Democratic Party, Edo State, insisting that it only recognised the list of candidates produced at the primary election held by Dan Orbih’s faction in May.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court 5, Abuja, had in earlier judgment in the Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/808/2022 issued an order directing INEC to only accept and recognise the candidates that emerged from the Dan Orbih faction on May 18.

Recall that Ihama, Ogieva, Omagbon, Giwa and others had approached the Federal High Court 5, Abuja, seeking an order for INEC to only recognise the Dan Orbih-led faction of the party’s primary.

Following Justice Ekwo’s judgment, INEC in a letter dated June 27, 2022 and signed by its Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony and addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, asking the party to forward the list recognized by court to the commission.

INEC in the letter seen by Sahara Reporters titled, “Notification of pending orders in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/807/2022 between Dr. Michael Onolememen & 2 Ors. V. INEC; Suit No. FHC/ABJ/808/ between Barr. Nosa Adams & 8 Prs. V. INEC and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/809/2022 between Christabel O. Ekwu & 23 Ors. V. INEC and the need to Comply with them” asked PDP to comply with the order.

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The letter read, “The Commission hereby draws the attention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the order of the Court arising from the three (3) suits listed above.

“In line with the order of Court, the Commission is restrained from accepting and recognizing any list of candidates other than the list containing the names of the plaintiffs as the PDP’s duly nominated candidates for the election of the seats of senators representing the senatorial zones of Edo North, Edo South and Edo Central of Edo State; the twenty-four House of Assembly constituencies across Edo State.

“Accordingly, the Commission expects the PDP to forward the nomination forms of the respective candidates as ordered by the Federal High Court, Abuja.”

The PDP had conducted parallel primaries by the factions loyal to the party’s National Vice Chairman, South South, Dan Orbih and the faction loyal to Governor Godwin Obaseki at different locations across the state. But the court rejected Governor Obaseki’s faction.

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