Move to disqualify C’River PDP gov candidate thickens

The move to disqualify the Cross River State Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Prof. Ben Ayade, ahead of the April 11 governorship election in Cross River State is gathering momentum as the runner up in the November primaries has filed a case to that effect at a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Ayade emerged winner of the PDP primary in December 2014 at the U.J Esuene Stadium in Calabar having polled 752 votes out of 782 votes cast while his closest rival, Mr. Joe Agi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, secured 11 votes.

But in a suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/25/2015 filed at a Federal High Court in Abuja, Agi (the plaintiff) wants the court to declare him winner of the primaries on the grounds that the first, second and third defendants namely the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the candidate, Prof. Ben Ayade respectively, failed to follow the guidelines of the party’s constitution before conducting the exercise.

In the case which comes up on March 3, the plaintiff is seeking, among others, the following reliefs, “A declaration that by virtue of section 8 (10) and (15) of the PDP constitution and article 13(a) of the Electoral Guidelines for primary elections 2014 the 3rd defendant (Benedict Ayade) with membership No. 6386497 ceased to enjoy the rights and privileges of PDP before and including the December 8, 2014 and so cannot validly vie and be nominated for any elective office under the platform of the PDP