2023/ Atiku, Tambuwal, PDP ask court to dismiss Wike’s “frivolity, baseless” suit

Adeleye Kunle Reports

The Peoples Democratic Party PDP, its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal have asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a legal action instituted by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike to challenge the last presidential primary election of the party.

Atiku, PDP and Tambuwal informed the court that Wike’s suit is frivolous, baseless, unwarranted and unknown to law.

In their joint objection to the suit, the three defendants predicated their objections on four cardinal grounds.

Part of the objections filed on their behalf by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Ayo Kunle Ajibade are that the instant suit as filed is unknown to law and not cognizable under a pre-election matter.

They averred that the first plaintiff, Michael Newgent Ekamon, having not participated in the primary election conducted by the National Executive Committee of PDP lacked the requisite locus standi to institute this suit.

Atiku PDP and Tambuwal further stated that the suit as brought by the applicants does not fall within the purview of Section 84 of the Electoral Act, as such does not qualify as a preelection dispute.

The fourth ground was that the instant suit was not initiated by due process of the law.

They therefore sought order of the court striking out or dismissing the suit in its entirety for want of jurisdiction.

Wike has sued PDP, its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal over the conduct of the presidential primary of the party held in Abuja on May 28 and May 29, 2022.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/782/2022, Wike and the PDP chieftain, Newgent Ekamon, are the two plaintiffs.

In the originating summons, PDP is listed as the first respondent while the Independent National Electoral Commission is the 2nd respondent.

Tambuwal and Atiku are listed as the 3rd and 4th respondents respectively.

In the originating summons, Wike and his co-applicant asked the court to determine eight issues including whether the purported transfer of Tambuwal’s votes to Atiku by the PDP was illegal and void

The plaintiffs asked the court to determine if Tambuwal lost his claim to votes the moment he stepped down for Atiku.

He asked the court to determine whether Tambuwal “having stepped down during the primaries ought to lose his votes.

Meanwhile, hearing in the suit has been fixed for September 14 by Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed