C’ River Bye Election: Court Upholds Jarigbe’s Nomination as PDP’s Candidate

C’ River Bye Election: Court Upholds Jarigbe’s Nomination as PDP’s Candidate

By Alex Enumah

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Apo, Abuja, has declared Hon. Jarigbe Jarigbe as the duly elected candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the rescheduled Cross River North Senatorial bye election slated for Saturday, December 5, 2020.

Justice Binta Mohammed, in the judgment delivered last month, held that Jarigbe, who was the defendant in the suit, did not supply any false information in his nomination form and was therefore duly nominated as the candidate of the PDP.

The court in addition held that the primary election that produced Jarigbe as the candidate of the PDP was conducted with the authentic and legitimate delegates’ list of the ward and local government areas executives of the party.

The court went further to hold that Jarigbe, having scored the highest number of valid votes at the primary election, was validly nominated as the candidate of the PDP in the election.

The judge also declared that the PDP primary, where Jarigbe was elected, was duly monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and therefore valid and in line with the law.

The court therefore directed INEC, sued as the second defendant, to include and publish Jarigbe’s name on the list of candidates for the bye election scheduled for December 5, 2020.

INEC was further ordered to give Jarigbe every other rights and privileges pertaining to his lawful qualification and nomination as the PDP candidate.

The primary election of the PDP has been enmeshed in legal tussle since September 5, when it was conducted.

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