The Abuja Federal High Court has sacked Tochukwu Okorie on grounds that he was not validly nominated to contest election for the position of Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi state.
Delivering judgment in the suit filed by Silas Onu, challenging the election of Okorie , Justice Ahmed Mohammed held that Okorie was indolent in submitting his nomination form and could not be allowed to benefit from his wrong doing.
According to the judge, it is the finding of the court that the 2nd defendant submitted his nomination form on October 4, 2021 instead of October 1, 2021 contrary to the guidelines of the conduct of congresses.
The judge ruled that he was therefore not qualified to contest in the said election of Oct. 16, 2021.
Justice Mohammed consequently directed the Eboyi state PDP to hold that only Silas Onu was lawfully nominated to participate in the election of Oct. 16, 2021 and to issue him a certificate of return declaring him as the duly elected Chairman of the state.
The judge also granted the prayer asking for a declaration that Okorie was not qualified to participate in the election organized and held by the PDP on Oct. 16, 2021 for failing and refusing to submit his nominanon form on or before the fixed deadline of Oct. 1, 2021.
He also granted the prayer asking for a declaration that the Okorie’s participation in the said election was contrary to the schedule for the conduct of state congresses, therefore rendering such participation null and void.
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The judge had earlier, dismissed the preliminary objection filed by the PDP where it alleged that Onu did not exhaust the internal mechanisms available for resolving such party matters before heading to court.
The judge also said that the application failed because the PDP was silent on when Okorie submitted his nomination form.
Reacting to the judgment, Okorie says he will appeal the Judgment of the court.
The Ebonyi state chapter of the PDP, on Oct. 16, 2021 elected Okorie as the new chairman of the party in the state as he polled a total of 1,240 votes to defeat Onu, the former state publicity secretary of the party who scored 260 votes.
Onu, however, dissatisfied with the process which led to the emergence of Okorie as chairman of the party in the state, filed a suit challenging the process and listed the PDP and Okorie as defendants.
One of the questions Onu asked the court to determine was whether, upon the failure of Okorie to meet up with the deadline fixed by the PDP for the submission of nomination form, Okorie was qualified to contest the election.
Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie
