The Delta State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated leaders of the party, members and supporters for achieving victory on Friday, October 8, 2021, at the Court of Appeal against the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement of commendation to the party for the Appeal Court victory, signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza, said the victory was momentous for two very important reasons, amongst others.
According to Osuoza, first is that the Appeal Court victory shattered the sinister moves of the APC to destroy the hard, fought and won success of the party at the Local Government elections, with the ultimate intention of shoving aside all our victorious Chairmen, Vice-chairmen, and Councilors across the State and making their victory a nullity.
The second significant reason he noted is that the court victory exposed APC as a meddlesome interloper in an issue that least concerned it, and thereby confirmed the opposition party as one that is pathologically full of mischief, misinformation, and disinformation – a party that is always shedding crocodile tears, one that has no qualms about creating and causing harm and damage to others.
Osuoza said: “APC wanted all PDP Council Chairmen and Councilors in the 25 Local Government Areas in Delta State to be removed from office as it happened in Zamfara State on the ground that PDP did not conduct valid primaries in the choice of its candidates for the council election held in March 2021. APC also alleged that DSIEC colluded with PDP without observing the provision of the DSIEC Law, 2017.
“If we had lost this case in the court and without putting up a watertight defence, all the Council Chairmen and Councilors in the 25 Local Government Areas in Delta State would have lost their seats.
“Against all the false claims of APC, the judge ruled that APC is a total stranger to PDP and as such, it cannot dabble into the primary election of PDP which is an internal affair of the PDP.
“That Section 285 (14) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) sited by APC did not apply to Delta State Local Government election.
“That the Zamfara State case of APC vs Marafa cannot apply to this case and that by the provision of Section 98(8) of Delta State Independent Electoral Commission Law, 2017, it is only the aspirant who participated in a primary election of a political party that has the locus standi to challenge the primary election.
“Now that the Appeal Court has upheld the judgment of the High Court that earlier ruled in favour of PDP, the rug has been pulled from under the APC, making it and its wicked intentions to fall like a pack of cards. Of course, our party will continuously be on the alert, watching APC as it goes about like the Biblical satan, and reaching to its bag of mischief seeking the next hurt to inflict.
“We commend our team of lawyers for the dogged fight put up at the courts that finally culminated in the damaging uppercut that saw our opponents hitting the canvas for PDP’s victory.”