August 31, (THEWILL) – The Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed September 14, to hear a suit allegedly filed by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed fixed the date after granting a motion on notice for an extension of time filed by Prisicila Eje, counsel for the PDP, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Atiku.
The motion was not opposed by a lawyer to the plaintiffs, Wilfred Okoi.
Prince Michael Ekamon and Governor Wike are 1st and 2nd plaintiffs respectively, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/782/2022, dated and filed on June 3.
While the PDP is the 1st defendant, the Independents National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tambuwal and Atiku are 2nd to 4th defendants respectively in the suit.
Okoi told the court that he had been served with a counter affidavit by PDP, Tambuwal and Atiku.
While the party and others were represented in court on Wednesday, only the INEC’s counsel, was absent.
Although Governor Wike had disowned the suit, which sought among other prayers, the court’s pronouncement declaring him the PDP’s presidential candidate for the 2023 election.
In the originating summons, Wike allegedly, along with his co-applicant, asked the court to determine eight issues, including whether the purported transfer of Tambuwal’s votes to Atiku by the PDP was illegal and void.
The plaintiffs asked the court to determine if Tambuwal lost his claim to votes the moment he stepped down for Atiku.
He asked the court to determine whether Tambuwal “having stepped down during the primaries ought to lose his votes.”
Wike and Ekamon are asking the court to grant nine reliefs, including a declaration that the purported transfer of Tambuwal’s votes to Atiku be declared null and void.
