PDP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES: “WHY I AM IN COURT” – COSMOS NDUKWE
Thursday Night, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had invited all their Presidential Aspirants to their Abuja LEGACY HOUSE COMPLEX for a parley ahead of the party’s Presidential Primaries scheduled for this weekend.
In an exclusive interview after the parley with Rt. Dr. Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe, the immediate past Deputy Speaker of the 6th Abia House of Assembly and PDP Presidential Aspirant shared his thoughts with BENUDECHUKWU.COM. Dr. Ndukwe informed us that he is still in the race but determined to pursue his cause to a logical end.
The Ex – Chief of Staff to the Governor of Abia State in a suit against the PDP is seeking for an interpretation of Section 7(2) of the PDP constitution which provided for the zoning of elective offices for ease of inclusiveness. The Section sought to cure the mischief of brazen arm twisting which places certain zones and individuals at a towering advantage against the others.
It is Dr. Ndukwe’s argument that the PDP in strict adherence to its own constitution zone its Presidency to the South East as a way of accommodating the South East in a similar arrangement that among others ceded National Chairmanship of the Party to the North Central Zone.
Reminded that the primaries shall have ended by the time the Federal High Court in Abuja that is seized of the matter delivers its judgement, the Abia born Entrepreneur said he is pursuing not his selfish interest but for a precedent that would guide party democracy going forward. According to the Ex – Commissioner for Trade and Investment, “equality is the starting point of all liberties”. The PDP he further stated; “has a moral burden to seek the equality of all zones, particularly the South East that has demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the party since its inception in 1998”.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/508/2022, the court has ordered accelerated hearing on the matter, perhaps to ensure that Dr. Ndukwe does not suffer any irredeemable loss. The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, yesterday, dismissed the appeal by the PDP and agreed that the decision of the lower court to give accelerated hearing on the matter is in order.
Our investigations reveal that the NWC of the PDP is not favourably disposed to allowing Dr. Ndukwe to be on their Presidential ballot for his inability to have sought alternative resolution through the party’s internal mechanisms. A source that craved anonymity informed BENUDECHUKWU.COM that the party is however being careful not to run foul of Section 131 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which is specific about what qualifies a citizen to seek election to the office of the President.
On the flip side, we do not see the possibility of the court granting Dr. Ndukwe’s request that it causes PDP to zone its Presidency to the South East. This in our mind is constitutionally ortiose.
Put in proper context , Section 131 provides that: “A person shall be qualified for election to the office of President if -(a) he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth; (b) he has attained the age of forty years; (c) he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party; and (d) he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.”
The PDP will go ahead with their scheduled Presidential Primaries this weekend.
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