Supreme Court to Hear Appeal Challenging Chime’s Emergence as PDP Candidate in 2011

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

The Supreme Court ‎is set to hear a suit challenging the Peoples Democratic Party’s primaries in Enugu which produced former governor of the state, Sullivan Chime, five years after the suit was commenced.

‎This follows the issuance of hearing notices to parties to the suit including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP and Sullivan Chime (respondents) by Ibrahim Gold, the head of litigation department of the apex court.

The case, Alex Obiechina versus INEC and two others, which borders on the 2011 PDP Enugu State governorship primary, has suffered inexplicable delays at the Federal High and the appellate courts.‎

The case is listed for Wednesday, the 7th day of December, 2016.

In a motion on notice brought pursuant to order 2 Rule 12 of the Supreme Court Rules, 1999 and section 6 (6) of the 1999 Constitution, and filed on his behalf by Abdullahi M. Aliyu, SAN, Obiechina is seeking an order granting him leave to produce, tender and rely on copies of documents which were not tendered at the trial court and the Court of Appeal.

The plaintiff contends that he contested and won the 2nd respondent’s (PDP) primary election of January 9, 2011 for the selection of the governorship candidate in Enugu having polled 424 to defeat six other aspirants, including the third respondent, Chime.

Part of the grounds of the appeal reads: “The 2ndrespondent (PDP) submitted Chime’s name‎ to INEC as her candidate in the said election, instead of the Applicant’s name in contravention of 2nd Respondent’s Primary Election guidelines and the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010.