By Daud Olatunji
ABEOKUTA—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has filed an application before a Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, seeking to set aside the orders of the court which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to accept or process only list of candidates authenticated by Bayo Dayo-led factional exco of Ogun State PDP for 2019 elections.

In a suit marked FHC/AB/CS/1 14/2018, the court also ordered Uche Secondus-led PDP to accept as authentic, delegates from Dayo-led PDP, for that party’s National Convention where a presidential candidate for 2019 elections will emerge.

The suit was filed by Dayo and nine others against INEC, and joined PDP, Secondus and the National Secretary of PDP, Senator Ibrahim Tsauri.

Dayo-led faction has the backing of the Senator representing Ogun East, Buruji Kashamu.
In his ruling, on Tuesday, Justice Abubakar Shittu granted four out the six reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.
However, the defendants are asking the court to set aside those orders granted, citing lack of service on defendants and lack of fair hearing.

The PDP Counsel, Emeka Etiaba, SAN, filed the application on 10 grounds, saying the orders are “a nullity, having been obtained by false representation, concealment of facts and fraud.”

The application dated October 3, 2018 has a 17-point Affidavit of Urgency deposed to by Chimezie Ogugbara, a lawyer at the chamber of PDP counsel, and a 5-point written address.

The application seeks the court to grant four reliefs. They are: “An order setting aside the purported services of all the processes in this suit on the Defendants/Applicants.

“An order setting aside the orders made by the Honourable Court in this against the Defendants/Applicants as same were made without jurisdiction.

“An order directing the plaintiffs in this suit to serve the Defendants/Applicants all the relevant processes in this suit accordance with the law.