Bayelsa Poll: Fresh legal suit complicates the knots

Nnamdi Felix / Abuja

A fresh suit was on Monday filed at the Abuja Federal High Court against the nomination of Dickson Seriake, as the torch bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The suit was filed by another gubernatorial aspirant, Mr. Orufa Jusline Boloubo.

Boloubo wants the court to order a fresh exercise to nominate the gubernatorial candidate of the party in the forthcoming Bayelsa state governorship election in accordance with the amended constitution and Electoral Guidelines for Primary Elections 2010 of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.

Mr. Boloubo anchored his request for a fresh party primary election on the ground that PDP did not comply with the Electoral Act and its Constitution in conducting the 19 November primary election in the state.

The PDP,its flag bearer, Seriake Dickson and the Independent National Election Commission, INEC, are joined in the suit as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.

Several controversies have in recent time been trailing the nomination of Dickson as the PDP torch bearer in the state.

The incumbent Governor and an aspirant for a second term of office who was edged out of the party’s November 19th primary election, Governor Timipre Sylva, is in court challenging the primary election that brought in Dickson.

This development prompted the electoral body to expunge Dickson’s name from the ballot paper before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja last Wednesday granted an ex-parte order in chambers, compelling INEC to re-list Dickson’s name.

Mr. Boloubo in this fresh suit is seeking for a declaration that the primaries conducted on the 19th November,2011 is in breach of Articles 2,12.7,12.8(e)&(f),17(1)(2)(b) of PDP constitution and Articles 2(1)&3,Part II(A)&(B)(xi) of the Electoral Guidelines for Primary Election.

The plaintiff through his counsel, Mr. Ricky Tarfa, a senior advocate of Nigeria, therefore prayed the court for an order of injunction restraining the PDP from sending or forwarding any result/name or winner of the purported gubernatorial primary election of 19th November,2011 held Bayelsa state.

He also sought for an order of injunction restraining Dickson from parading or holding himself or presenting himself or doing anything of like manner whatsoever before the INEC or taking any step as the PDP candidate for the purported gubernatorial primary election.

Boloubo further sought for an order of perpetual injunction restraining PDP from recognizing or submitting Dickson’s name to PDP and an order of injunction restraining the INEC from acting upon or taking any step or further step or doing anything whatsoever in giving effect to the name of Dickson as winner of the purported gubernatorial primary election.

The case has been assigned to Justice Adamu Bello. Hearing date is yet to be fixed.