6th December, 2022
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The suit filed by Rivers chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, against participation of Accord in the 2023 elections in the state was struck out by a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
The court struck out the suit filed by PDP challenging the eligibility of Accord as well as the party’s governorship Candidate and running mate to contest the 2023 general elections for lack of jurisdiction.
Presiding Judge, Justice Stephen Daylop-Pam in a separate suit by the PDP also strike out request that all the National Assembly candidates of Accord should be barred from participating in the 2023 for lack of jurisdiction.
Justice Daylop-Pam who did not bother to go into the merit of the matter based his judgment on the recent decision Court of Appeal in Lagos and Rivers State.
The Judge noted that the the appellate courts have ruled that no court has jurisdiction to hear any case file by a political party poking nose on issues bothering on internal party affairs of another party.
As such, the judge insisted that any attempt by him to interfere in the matter after appellate court had taken decision on the similar matter will amount to rascality on his part.
He therefore upheld the objections of the Counsels to the defendants and struck out the suits by PDP.
Speaking to journalists outside the courtroom, Benjamin Omeje, and Joy Nunieh who represented Accord, the governorship candidate, its running mate and National Assembly candidates said the judgment is victory to Accord and democracy.
On his part the governorship candidate of Accord, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs who is also a lawyer expressed happiness that justice was not denied at last, saying that the court has put a stop to every meddlesome of PDP into affairs of other political parties in the state.