Anambra 2021: PDP Aspirant Sues Secondus, INEC, Others

..Wants Saturday’s Primary Stopped

A governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, in Anambra State, Mr. Zeribe Ezeanuna, has
dragged his party and the Independent National Electoral Commission
INEC to Court for allegedly, forcing him to pay five million naira
compliance fee before partaking in the primary.

Others joined in the suit at the Federal High Court in Awka are,
the National Chairman of the Party, Chief Uche Secondus, the
National Organising Secretary Col Austin Akobundu (rtd) and Anambra
State Chairman of the party, Sir Ndubuisi Nwobu

INEC had fixed November 6 for the governorship election in
Anambra State, while PDP will hold its primary on Saturday, 26th
June 2021

Ezeanuna, also, is claiming 50 million naira each, amounting to
200 million naira from the four defendants as damages for
infringing on his Human Rights and discrimination on the basis of
gender.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Dr. Jezie Ekejiuba, a Human Rights
Lawyer, has already applied for an ex parte order of interim
injunction restraining the defendants, their privies, servants,
agents and those they represent from proceeding to conduct the PDP
governorship primary, pending the hearing and determination of the
motion on notice.

In suit No FHC/AWK/CS/29/2021, the plaintiff is asking the court
presided over by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba to declare that the
imposition of payment of what he called ‘commercialized and
prohibitive’ fee of 5m by PDP and its officials on his client, as
pre-condition for his participation in the pre-primary election was
unknown to the electoral guidelines for gubernatorial
elections.

Furthermore, he prayed the court to declare that the refusal by
the defendants to allow his client to pay the sum of N1, 000,000.00
to obtain the PDP Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms as
the female and richer aspirants was discriminatory against the
plaintiff as it infringed on his fundamental right to freedom from
discrimination under Section 42 (1) (a) and (b) of the 1999
Constitution of Nigeria as amended.

He argued that the discriminatory provision N1 million for women
on the basis of sex and N21,000,000:00 Expression of Interest and
Nomination Forms fee for men on the basis of sex was inconsistent
with the provisions of Section 42(1) (a) and (b) of the 1999
Constitution of Nigeria as amended and therefore inoperative, null
and void.

He said the unilateral imposition of payment totaling
N26,000,000.00 by PDP and its officials against the plaintiff as a
pre-condition for his participation in the pre-primary election is
in conflict with the plaintiff’s constitutional right to
qualification for election as Governor of Anambra State under
Section 177(a) (b) (c) and (d) of the 1999 Constitution as
amended.

The aspirant urged the court to set aside, nullify and void the
outcome of the PDP primaries because of the wrongful exclusion and
prevention of the plaintiff ab-initio from participating in it.

He prayed the court to direct INEC to exclude PDP candidate who
would emerge from its primary from the list of nominated candidates
for the November 6, 2021, Anambra State governorship election, for
wrongfully excluding and preventing his client from participating
in it.

He called for an order of perpetual injunction restraining PDP
from further violating or infringing the plaintiff’s fundamental
right to freedom from discrimination and constitutional right to
qualification for election as Governor of Anambra State.

“The issues raised in this suit are complaints against violation
of the plaintiff’s right to freedom from discrimination as well as
his constitutional right protection under the 1999 Constitution of
Nigeria as amended and non-compliance with the provisions.”

..Wants Saturday’s Primary Stopped

A governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, in Anambra State, Mr. Zeribe Ezeanuna, has
dragged his party and the Independent National Electoral Commission
INEC to Court for allegedly, forcing him to pay five million naira
compliance fee before partaking in the primary.

Others joined in the suit at the Federal High Court in Awka are,
the National Chairman of the Party, Chief Uche Secondus, the
National Organising Secretary Col Austin Akobundu (rtd) and Anambra
State Chairman of the party, Sir Ndubuisi Nwobu

INEC had fixed November 6 for the governorship election in
Anambra State, while PDP will hold its primary on Saturday, 26th
June 2021

Ezeanuna, also, is claiming 50 million naira each, amounting to
200 million naira from the four defendants as damages for
infringing on his Human Rights and discrimination on the basis of
gender.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Dr. Jezie Ekejiuba, a Human Rights
Lawyer, has already applied for an ex parte order of interim
injunction restraining the defendants, their privies, servants,
agents and those they represent from proceeding to conduct the PDP
governorship primary, pending the hearing and determination of the
motion on notice.

In suit No FHC/AWK/CS/29/2021, the plaintiff is asking the court
presided over by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba to declare that the
imposition of payment of what he called ‘commercialized and
prohibitive’ fee of 5m by PDP and its officials on his client, as
pre-condition for his participation in the pre-primary election was
unknown to the electoral guidelines for gubernatorial
elections.

Furthermore, he prayed the court to declare that the refusal by
the defendants to allow his client to pay the sum of N1, 000,000.00
to obtain the PDP Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms as
the female and richer aspirants was discriminatory against the
plaintiff as it infringed on his fundamental right to freedom from
discrimination under Section 42 (1) (a) and (b) of the 1999
Constitution of Nigeria as amended.

He argued that the discriminatory provision N1 million for women
on the basis of sex and N21,000,000:00 Expression of Interest and
Nomination Forms fee for men on the basis of sex was inconsistent
with the provisions of Section 42(1) (a) and (b) of the 1999
Constitution of Nigeria as amended and therefore inoperative, null
and void.

He said the unilateral imposition of payment totaling
N26,000,000.00 by PDP and its officials against the plaintiff as a
pre-condition for his participation in the pre-primary election is
in conflict with the plaintiff’s constitutional right to
qualification for election as Governor of Anambra State under
Section 177(a) (b) (c) and (d) of the 1999 Constitution as
amended.

The aspirant urged the court to set aside, nullify and void the
outcome of the PDP primaries because of the wrongful exclusion and
prevention of the plaintiff ab-initio from participating in it.

He prayed the court to direct INEC to exclude PDP candidate who
would emerge from its primary from the list of nominated candidates
for the November 6, 2021, Anambra State governorship election, for
wrongfully excluding and preventing his client from participating
in it.

He called for an order of perpetual injunction restraining PDP
from further violating or infringing the plaintiff’s fundamental
right to freedom from discrimination and constitutional right to
qualification for election as Governor of Anambra State.

“The issues raised in this suit are complaints against violation
of the plaintiff’s right to freedom from discrimination as well as
his constitutional right protection under the 1999 Constitution of
Nigeria as amended and non-compliance with the provisions.”