Court Gives Reason After Sacking PDP Chairman In Ebonyi

The Peoples Democratic Party chairman in Ebonyi State, Mr Okoroafor Tochukwu Okorie, has been stripped of his position by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for submitting his nomination form late.

Justice A.R. Mohammed while reading his judgement on Wednesday in an application filed by Joseph Onu Silas against the PDP and Okorie, noted the party chairman should not have been eligible to contest for the chairmanship in the first place after submitting late.

The judge held that Okorie’s failure to counter the allegation that he submitted his form late was proof that he contravened electoral laws.

Mohammed subsequently ordered PDP to recognize Onuh as its chairman in the state.

“It is the opinion of this court that the 2nd defendant, who was indolent in submitting his nomination form as provided in the guidelines issued by the PDP, who in spite of this failure, was still declared and returned elected, cannot be allowed to benefit from his wrong doing.

“The consequence is that the 2nd defendant’s nomination form submitted on Oct. 4, 2021 instead of Oct. 1, 2021 was submitted out of time,” the judge said.

Meanwhile, Okorie appealed the court’s judgement on Wednesday, saying he is dissatisfied with it, urging the trial court to stay execution of the judgement pending final determination of the appeal.

Okorie stated in his appeal that “the learned trial judge erred in law in assuming jurisdiction and determining the suit.”