2023: Again, PDP drags Tinubu to court, seeks to nullify his candidacy

The permutations by political parties to disqualify their candidates from the forthcoming polls have continued unabated, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council on Monday dragged APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to court seeking his disqualification.

The spokesperson for the PDP campaign council, Kola Ologbodiyan, who made this known in a chat with journalists in Abuja, said the party was seeking his disqualification over allegations bordering on conviction for trafficking narcotics in the United States.

Ologbondiyan noted that PDP was also asking the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to nullify the candidacy of the former Lagos State governor.

This came barely few weeks after the Federal High Court stroke out similar case between the two parties.

The Court on January 13th had dismissed the suit seeking the disqualification of Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, from the February elections.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, who delivered the judgement, noted the dismissal was based on the fact that PDP lacked the locus standi to institute the suit, adding it was an abuse of court process.

READ ALSO:PDP Campaign demands arrest, prosecution of Tinubu over alleged drug trafficking

The PDP Campaigb had on Sunday asked the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Department of State Security, DSS, and the Inspector General of Police, IGP to arrest and prosecute Tinubu for the same allegations.

Ologbondiyan described the former Lagos State Governor as a convict, adding he should be delisted from contesting in the forthcoming elections.

He said: “It is already established that trafficking in narcotic is an international crime which all nations are obligated by international conventions and statutes to arrest, prosecute and implement any court judgment imposed on offender anywhere in the world, as well as the consequential effects of such judgements.

“Under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), having been so convicted and fined and having acceded to the sentencing by way of forfeiture of $460,000 and have not received any state pardon or acquitted by any court of competent jurisdiction, Asiwaju Tinubu remains a convict and the consequential effect is that he cannot contest the election at any level in Nigeria.”

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