Okey Uzoho, a presidential candidate and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has sued his party for allegedly denying him the right to run in the party’s presidential primary on May 28th.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, Uzoho named the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as first and second defendants in an originating summons stamped FCT/CV/144/2022 and filed at the federal capital territory (FCT) high court.
According to the presidential candidate, his inability to afford the costly presidential statement of interest and nomination paperwork would preclude him from running in the main opposition primary.
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According to this online daily, the PDP has set aside N40 million for presidential expressions of interest and nomination forms.
Which appears reasonable in comparison to the N100 million imposed by the ruling All Progressives Congress on its forms.
According to the summons, the PDP’s behavior in imposing a monetary condition as an extra criterion for applicants violates the 1999 constitution as well as sections 84(3) and (4) of the Electoral Act 2022.
The lawyer expressed regret that he would be unable to participate in the presidential primary due to his inability to submit a bank draft in the amount of N40 million.
Apart from the form cost, he said he satisfied all of the conditions of the 1999 constitution and current legislation for participation in the party’s presidential primary for the 2023 election.
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He asked the court to rule on “whether the PDP is entitled to impose or interpose as additional qualification/s the payment of N40 million, as further qualification to seek the party’s sponsorship for election to the office of President of Nigeria, having regard to section 131 read in conjunction with Section 1(1) and (3) of the 1999 constitution.”
Uzoho is demanding N50 million in damages for “worry, annoyance, and lost campaign time” as a result of his inability to participate in the presidential primary.
He also asked the court to grant a perpetual injunction restraining the PDP and INEC from excluding him from the presidential primary, as well as an order of injunction compelling the PDP to ensure his participation in the primary.
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