A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Tuesday struck out a suit by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, challenging the eligibility of Accord, its governorship candidate and running mate, to contest the 2023 general elections in Rivers State for lack of jurisdiction.
Presiding Judge, Justice Stephen Daylop-Pam, in a separate suit, also struck out the PDP’s suit against all the National Assembly candidates of Accord for lack of jurisdiction.
Justice Daylop-Pam, in his judgment, did not go into the merit of the matter but premised his judgment on the recent decisions of the Appeal Court in Lagos and Rivers State, which ruled that no court has the jurisdiction to hear a suit filed by another political party bothering on internal party affairs.
The judge noted that any attempt by him to interfere in the matter after the appellate court had taken a decision on a similar matter will amount to him being tagged a rascal.
He thereafter upheld the objections of the counsels to the defendants against the suit.
Lawyers to the defendants in the suit, Benjamin Omeje and Joy Nuniee, described the judgment as a victory for democracy.
Counsel to PDP, Dike Udenna, refused to speak to journalists.
