By Amos Igbebe
Federal High Court Sitting in Asaba Thursday struck out a case filed by Delta State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the outcome of Labour Party and All Progressive Congress primary elections that produced their governorship and other candidates during the just concluded general elections.
Delivering judgment on the case, the presiding judge, Justice Olatoregun Ishiola, held that the petitioner (PDP) has no locus standi to institute the case, adding that it was a post election matter.
The judge therefore urged the petitioners to approach the tribunal where post election matters are treated to seek redress if they so wish.
“From the evidence before me, the plaintiffs have not shown that they suffered any injury as a result of the said primaries, therefore, I found nothing to do but to strike out the case”, the judge said.
Speaking to newsmen after the judgement, counsel to PDP, Mr. Akinolu Timothy Kehinde (SAN), said the judge has done her work, the court held that the matter is a post election matter that can only be treated by the tribunal.
“We have heard the judgement, if my clients felt that they are not comfortable, then we can go further, but now, we are waiting for instructions from them, we can only work with their instructions”, he said.
It would be recalled that PDP Delta State had dragged APC, LP and others to court claiming that the above political parties failed to meet the 21 days notice of intention to conduct primaries, thereby breaching the provision of the Electoral Act.
The petitioners in the suit had prayed the court to order INEC not to recognize the outcome of such primaries as the position of the Electoral Act, that guide such elections was not complied with.
