2023: Litigations are over in Ebonyi PDP—–Group declares
From Chinedu Nwafor, Abakaliki
A political pressure group, AnyiChuks GrassRoot Support Organization, on Friday, said with the ruling of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which dismissed all pending appeal cases on the PDP Governorship Primaries in Ebonyi state, all the litigations and disputations within the ranks of the party had been put to rest.
The group’s statement is coming on the heels of the ruling of the Nigeria’s apex Court on Friday, dismissed the two pending appeals on the PDP primaries in Ebonyi State, thereby affirming the party’s primaries held on 28th and 29th of May, 2022, that produced Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii as the governorship candidate of the party and others in his line-up.
The PDP in Ebonyi State was factionalized into two Senator Obinna Ogba and Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii leading each faction, a development that led to the party holding two primary elections in the State.
Recall that the national leadership of the PDP had midway into the primaries cancelled it, citing noncompliance with the party’s guidelines and went ahead to fix another primaries held on 4th and 5th June, 2022, that produced Senator Obinna Ogba as the governorship candidate of the party and other candidates for other positions in his line-up.
But both the lower and Apex Courts have affirmed that the first primaries cancelled by the party’s leadership remains authentic, thereby knocking Mr Ogba and the members of his faction out of the 2023 general elections.
A statement signed by Chief Abia Onyike, the Director of Media and Publicity, GrassRoot Support Organization, on Friday, explained that all litigations had been put to rest with the Friday ruling of the Apex Court.
The group noted that the essence of the litigations was not necessarily power play, but the quest to engender internal democratic values in the party, the PDP particularly in Ebonyi State.
According to the group, it is now obvious that we have to unite and fight for our common aspiration which is the take over and rescue of our dear state from anti-democratic forces and to put Ebonyi state back on the path of unity, progress and prosperity.
The statement reads: “with the ruling of the Supreme Court today, 21st October, 2022 dismissing all pending appeal cases on the PDP Governorship Primaries in Ebonyi state, all the litigations and disputations have been put to rest within the ranks of our great party.
“It is now obvious that we have to unite and fight for our common aspiration which is the take over and rescue of our dear state from anti-democratic forces and to put Ebonyi state back on the path of unity, progress and prosperity.
“It should be noted that the essence of the litigations was not necessarily power play, but the quest to engender internal democratic values in our great party, the PDP particularly in Ebonyi State.
“Consequently, our dear leaders, stakeholders, teeming members, and supporters should note that this victory is for all of us. And this is the time to unite and fight our common foes and rejig our patriotic efforts to reverse the slide of our dear state into unnecessary rancours, acrimonies and retrogression.
“Let us unite for the sake of the progress of Ebonyi State and posterity. The PDP remains the major political party with a household name in Ebonyi State.
“We must, therefore, display our ever burning sense of patriotism, selflessness and pursuit of the common good.”
