The last may not have been heard of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primaries in Abia State which returned Chief Okey Ahiwe as the flag bearer of the party in the forthcoming March 11, 2023 election.
Reason: One of the aggrieved aspirants Mayor Lucky Igbokwe (Don Lulu) has approached the federal high court, Abuja in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/138/2022, which was transferred to the federal high court in Umuahia presided by Hon Justice E.N Anyadike, where he is seeking a nullification of the second primaries and the candidacy of Chief Ahiwe.
It could be recalled that the PDP Abia State chapter conducted its governorship primaries on 25 May, 2022 which produced the late Prof. Uche Ikonne. In that election Mayor Lucky Igbokwe was the first runner up, behind Ikonne.
However, as fate would have it, the PDP candidate (Ikonne) kicked the bucket before the conduct of the General Election. Rather than elevating the first runner up to become the party’s standard bearer, the PDP National and INEC called for a fresh governorship primaries which returned Chief Ahaiwe as the new candidate of the party.
In the amended originating summons filed by Dr J.A AKUBO, SAN, the plaintiff claims among others, a Declaratory relief that he is the authentic candidate of PDP for Abia State Governorship election.
He also sought for Court’s declaratory order that Ahiwe is not qualified to contest the fresh primary having not participated in the previous primary election hence his election should be nullified.
