Bayelsa Guber: Aspirant Drags PDP, Dickson, INEC To Court

One of the defented governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary in Bayelsa State, Mr Christopher Erai, has gone to court, seeking  to nullify the last month controversial primary election.

Mr Enai who had rejected the governorship primaries joined the PDP, Hon Dickson Serianke and the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents in the suit seeking for an order declaring  the election null and void as it was held in negation to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2011.

The defeated aspirant also prayed the court to make an order declaring him as the candidate of the PDP for the governorship election.

Enai also asked the court to make an order restraining  INEC from accepting, processing and recognizing Dickson as the candidate of the party for the election.

He said he was filing the application on the grounds that as a number of the party he completed and returned all necessary forms and paid all relevant fees qualifying him to participate in the election.

Hon Enai said the PDP failed to follow its own guidelines for the purpose of conducting governorship primary election which include, election of three ward delegates from each ward for participation at the governorship primary election.

“No special Ward Congress was convened and held in the whole of Bayelsa State for the purpose of electing the ward dlegates and no ward delegates were elected for the purpose of participating in the  said election contrary to the Electoral Act and without complying with its own guidedlines. PDP purported to have conducted a governorship  primary election for the governorship election for Bayelsa State, wherein it purportedly to have selected Dickson as the candidate on November 19, 2011.

In an affidavit he deposed to, he prayed the court to give the matter accelerated hearing, noting that the legal action became necessary following an indication to use its internal mechanism in resolving the matter.

He said the list of candidates sponsored by a political party for the governorship election must be submitted to INEC not later than 60 days before the date of election.

In the case of Bayelsa State governorship election for February 2012, the 60 days to the date of election is on or about the December 9, 2011.