PDP heads to tribunal over Imo North by-election

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday declared its intention to challenge the result of last year’s by-election in Imo North Senatorial District at the tribunal.

The PDP Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr. Ogu Nwadike, who disclosed this in a statement in Owerri, said the party’s decision was borne out of its dissatisfaction with the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the December 5, 2020 election without a bonafide candidate.

He said that a party should not be allowed to participate in an election without a candidate.

The PDP spokesman added that in the event of disqualification of a candidate for an election by a court of competent jurisdiction, it would be unlawful to declare the party as winner of such election.

Nwadike said: “It is unlawful and illegal to field a candidate for an election after the election and this is what we have gone to challenge at the tribunal because the PDP should be declared winner since the APC had no candidate before going into the election.

“It is sheer illegal holding a Certificate of Return in reserve for a party that is still in court striving to determine who its candidate should be, almost two months after the election.

READ ALSO: PDP candidate gives reasons INEC must disqualify APC, declare him winner of Imo North by-election

“We urge the judiciary to defend our constitution by resisting pressure to declare a person as candidate of an already concluded election.

“It’s on this note that the PDP and Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu, our candidate have taken an objection to the Election Petition Tribunal for the election to seek a redress for the wrongful declaration of APC as winner of the election.”

The spokesman, however, expressed optimism that the tribunal would confirm the PDP as authentic winner of the by-election and assured its teeming supporters of victory in the long run.

The Federal High Court, Owerri, had on December 4, 2020, disqualified Mr. Frank Ibezim of APC from the election for presenting a fake document to INEC.

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