Contestant Drags PDP To Court Over Primaries

A People’s Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant for Degema/Bonny federal constituency, Mr. Fidelis Odom, has dragged the party to court over the purported declaration of Dr. Sokonte Davies as winner of the party’s House of Representatives primaries conducted on the 15th of January 2011.

Also joined in the case filed in suit No. PHC 143/2011 at the Port Harcourt High Court II is Dr. Sokonte Davies.

The plaintiff is among others seeking the declaration of Dr. Davies as the winner of the primary as null and void because the election was inconclusive.

He also asked the court to declare him as the winner of the election in view of the fact that he had more votes than Dr Sokonte Davies during the election.

Speaking in an interview with The Tide, Mr. Odom said the primaries was rigged in favour of his opponent.

According to him, the ballot boxes and papers were taken to unknown destination where the result was announced, stressing that this was done shortly after his opponent realised that he (Odom) was coasting to victory.

At that point, thugs purportedly brought to the area hijacked the ballot boxes to unkown destination where the results were announced.

Mr. Odom said although he has petitioned the party on the issue, he was, however, seeking the court to declare that the primary was inconclusive and therefore the result is null and void.

He said the suit will also put paid to all forms of electoral malpractices in the area.

In his reaction in an interview, Dr. Davies described Odom’s allegation of rigging as false.