As  Nnaji resumes legal battle

By Austin Ogwuda & Francis Igata

ENUGU—THE leadership tussle in Enugu State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has taken a dramatic twist as Mr. Raymond Nnaji, claiming to be the party’s chairman in the state, has resumed the eight years lingering legal battle  to claim his purported mandate.

Following last week’s resignation of Mr. Vita Abba as chairman of the party, the party has been battling with leadership crisis.

While the party’s Publicity Secretary, Dr. Okey Eze, in a communiqué issued at the end of the State Executive Council, SEC, meeting named Chief Ikeje Asogwa as the new chairman, the party’s deputy chairman, Mr. David Ajah, rejected Mr. Asogwa, claiming that his appointment was not “in strict accord with sections 35 and 45 of PDP Constitution.”

To compound the crisis, Mr. Nnaji resurrected his legal matter that had passed through three different judges when he appeared before Justice D.V. Agishir of Federal High Court 2, seeking to reclaim his alleged mandate.

The suit

In a suit before the court, he argued that he (plaintiff) “2008 was elected as the chairman of the PDP, Enugu State, and other members of the executive committee of the party at the designated venue situate at Macdavos hotel Enugu.

“That unfortunately, when the then national chairman of the PDP, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, took over leadership of the party from Col. Ahmadu Ali (retd) as the chairman, he decided not to respect the decision of the party before his assumption of office hence suit No. FHC/EN/CS/83/2008 against him and others.

“Surprisingly, one Engr. Vita Abba who equally claimed elected as chairman of the party in Enugu State at a venue designated himself and his collaborators was joined as the 3rd defendant in that suit had to file a preliminary objection challenging  the jurisdiction of the court”

Mr. Nnaji is now praying the court “for a legal interpretation of certain sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the Peoples Democratic Party 2012 (as amended) against the backdrop of the principle of lis pendens and the pending suit No FHC/EN/83/2008 i.e. Barrister Raymond Nnaji & ors vs Prince Vincent Ogbulafor & ors for primary purpose of the protection and guidance of the rest of that matter.”

Case adjourned till November 12

The case has been adjourned to November the 12 hearing.

Meanwhile, the state PDP has dismissed claims by Mr. David Ajah, that he was the constitutionally empowered acting chairman of the party, following the resignation of Abba.

PDP dismisses Ajah’s claim

In a statement by Dr Ezeh, the party said: “Our attention has been drawn to the false and mischievous claims by the Deputy Chairman of the Party in the State, Elder David Ajah, that he is the authentic Chairman of the Party in Enugu State following the resignation of Engr. Vita Abba and appointment of Chief Ikeje Asogwa as the new Chairman of the Party in Enugu State.

“The erroneous impression being created by some disgruntled elements in the State who are desperately looking for any opportunity to create crisis in the Party for their selfish political ambitions, in an attempt to misinform the public and discredit the legitimate process that was followed by the State Executive Committee, SEC, of the Party in appointing Chief Ikeje Asogwa ,as the Chairman of the Party in Enugu State, pending the conduct of election into the said office at a State Congress as provided by the Constitution of the Party.

“In a media report, it was also falsely alleged that Enugu PDP is in crisis and that ‘INEC may reject Enugu PDP Candidates’ over the unfounded and baseless allegations by the Deputy Chairman of the Party that due process was not followed in the replacement of the former Chairman, Vita Abba who resigned to stand for election in the forthcoming primaries of our party.”