The continued stay of Senator Douye Diri as the governor of Bayelsa State will depend on where the judicial pendulum swings this Tuesday, in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The September 3, 2019 primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is still a matter of hot contention in court.
Governorship aspirant, Timi Alaibe, dragged the PDP, Senator Diri, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Embeleakpo Alale, on behalf of himself, representing the elected local government chairmen, vice-chairmen, and councilors of the PDP to court over what he called “flawed process” of the PDP primaries.
In a suit he filed before the Federal High Court, Owerri in pursuant to Order 3(9) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019, seeks answers to questions bordering on obvious non-adherence to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Alaibe is also raising issues on the Electoral Act 2010, the PDP Constitution and Election Guidelines, by the state chapter of the party in the conduct of the ward congresses, inclusion of local government council officials on the delegates list and the procedure for the inclusion of three ad-hoc delegates.
At the resumed hearing of the case following the request by the embattled Governor Diri for it to be moved to Owerri instead of Abuja, Ifedayo Adedipe, counsel to Alaibe leading Donald Atogbo, Somina Johnbull and Michael Numa fought off attempts by the defense team to stall court proceedings.
Adedipe vehemently opposed the myriad of applications for adjournments arguing that it was an attempt to stall proceedings.
The court subsequently refused motions for adjournment on account of the constitutional time limit for the determination of the case and the reasons for the adjournment not being meritorious.
Thereafter, the court fixed this Tuesday for judgment.
