Abia PDP chieftain heads to court over power rotation agreement

A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Mr. Ndubuisi Ogah, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Umuahia, seeking to stop the PDP and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from fielding and recognising Prof. Uche Ikonne as governorship candidate of the party for the 2023 election.

Ogah, in a motion exparte suit number FHC/UM/CS/63/2022, filed by his lawyer, P.C. Dike, is seeking an order of the court to stop PDP and INEC from fielding and recognising Ikonne as the candidate of the party, because the power rotation agreement in the state, known as Abia Charter of Equity (ACE), did not favour Abia Central Senatorial zone to produce the next governor of the state.

He is also praying Justice Evelyn Anyadike to order PDP to return the governorship ticket to Abia North Senatorial zone, because, going by the agreement signed by founding fathers of the state known as Abia Charter of Equity (ACE), Abia North is next in line to produce the governor in 2023.

Joined and listed as defendants/respondents to the suit are PDP; National Chairman, Iyorvhia Ayu; INEC; Zonal Chairman of PDP in South East, Ali Odefa; state Chairman of the party, Asiforo Okere, and the governorship candidate, Ikonne.

Others are the Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu; current Acting Board of Trusses (BoT) Chairman of party, Adolphous Nwabara; Enyinnaya Abaribe representing Abia South in the Senate and former Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Onyema Ugochukwu.

Briefing journalists after filing the case yesterday, Dike said his client, who is from Isikwuato in Abia North Senatorial zone, approached the court, because he was allegedly denied opportunity to contest the governorship election under PDP by the leader of the party in the state, Ikpeazu, by refusing to abide by the ACE agreement signed by founding fathers led by the late governor of old Eastern region, Dr. M.I. Okpara.