Attempt to void the governorship zoning arrangement of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, Akwa Ibom State, which favours Eket Senatorial
district, has failed as an Abuja High Court declined jurisdiction.The
trial judge, Justice A. S. Umar refused to hear the suit on the ground
that his court lacked the ‘territorial integrity’ to hear the case. The
court ruling followed a preliminary objection raised by PDP against the
suit filed by a lawyer and a governorship aspirant of the party in
Akwa Ibom State, Leo Ekpenyong. Justice Umar upheld the argument by the
respondent that the suit ought to be instituted in Akwa Ibom, and not
Abuja.
The state chapter of the party and prominent indigenes have
consistently maintained that for sake of equity, fairness and justice,
the governorship seat should be zoned to Eket since it was the only zone
yet to produce a governor; a position also supported by the Akpabio
administration.
The state government reacting to the Abuja ruling described it as triumph of justice and rule of law. Information commissioner, Aniekan Umana, said the ruling shows that the plaintiffs had no strong case ab initio. “Fairness and equity equals justice. We hope the plaintiffs would allow sleeping dog lie.”
The plaintiff had contended in the suit, that the policy, contained in the PDP’s constitution is not only discriminatory, it negates the constitutional provision for the right of every citizen to contest election without being discriminated against regardless of his place of birth.
The plaintiff had urged the court to decide whether he or any other aspirant to the governorship position in Akwa Ibom State could be excluded from contesting the party’s forthcoming primary elections or placed at a disadvantage on account of his Senatorial District, Local Government or ethnicity.
The state government reacting to the Abuja ruling described it as triumph of justice and rule of law. Information commissioner, Aniekan Umana, said the ruling shows that the plaintiffs had no strong case ab initio. “Fairness and equity equals justice. We hope the plaintiffs would allow sleeping dog lie.”
The plaintiff had contended in the suit, that the policy, contained in the PDP’s constitution is not only discriminatory, it negates the constitutional provision for the right of every citizen to contest election without being discriminated against regardless of his place of birth.
The plaintiff had urged the court to decide whether he or any other aspirant to the governorship position in Akwa Ibom State could be excluded from contesting the party’s forthcoming primary elections or placed at a disadvantage on account of his Senatorial District, Local Government or ethnicity.
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