ACCORD, ACN, APGA, 3 OTHERS SUE PDP, INEC, OVER MULTIPLE CANDIDATES

By NBF News

Ahead of tomorrow's National Assembly election, six political parties in Anambra State have sued the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and two other parties over multiple candidates.

Consequently, the political parties have asked the Federal High Court sitting in Awka to make a declaration that any vote cast for the PDP in Anambra South Senatorial Zone would be null, void and of no effect.

The six parties are Accord Party (AP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Labour Party (LP).Any vote cast for themselves and other candidates/ aspirants purported to be contesting election on the platform of PDP for the positions of Senate, House of Representatives and state House of Assembly in Anambra South Senatorial Zone would be null and void.

The reliefs being sought by the plaintiffs reads in part, 'A declaration that any vote cast for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its defendant for the following constituencies in the Anambra South Senatorial District to wit:

'Anambra South Senatorial District for aspirants/ candidates of the first defendant namely: Andy Ubah / Nicholas Ukachukwu in the Senatorial election for April 2011 are null, void and of no effect.

'Aguata Federal Constituency, Mr. Chike Anyaonu/ Eucharia Azodo for the Aguata Federal Constituency for April 2011election for the House of Representatives are null, void and of no effect.

'Orumba North and South Federal Constituencies , Azubuike/ Ben Nwankwo, vote cast for the first defendant on behalf of third defendant are null and void and of no effect.

'Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency Offorma Offodile/ Iju Nwabunike any vote cast for the first defendant on behalf of the third defendant is null and void and House of Assembly Constituency in the Senatorial Zone excluding Ihiala Federal Constituency and Nnewi North State Constituency are invalid, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.' In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs claimed among other things that, 'the first defendant held two separate primary elections at two separate places that produced two parallel lists of candidates and both of them are campaigning for the same office.

'That one of the lists emerged out of the primaries conducted by Benji Udeozor -led State Executive Committee of the party. The said list contained the names of Andy Ubah for Senate and other people for Federal House of Representatives and House of Assembly, excluding candidates for Nnewi North Constituency for House of Assembly and Ihiala Federal Constituency.