Sacked Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ebonyi State Chapter, Mr Tochukwu Okorie, has approached the Court of Appeal, asking it to set aside the Federal High Court’s judgment that declared Silas Onu as Chairman of PDP in Ebonyi.
Okorie is also asking the appellate court to stop the execution of the judgment.
In the notice of appeal predicated on six grounds filed on Wednesday, Okorie said that the trial court erred in law when it agreed with Onu that his nomination form was submitted out of time.
Okorie also held that Onu did not exhaust the internal mechanisms of resolving such party issues before approaching the court.
The sacked chairman prayed the appellate court to hold that he was still the authentic chairman of the party until all legal remedies were exhausted.
Okorie asked PDP members in Ebonyi not to panic over Wednesday’s judgment.
He pledged to continue to deliver on the mandate given to him on October 16, 2021, at the PDP congress.
The News Agency of Nigeria that Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ordered the removal of Okorie as chairman of the PDP in Ebonyi.
Justice Mohammed held that Okorie was not validly nominated to contest the election for the position of chairman of the PDP in the state
Delivering judgment on the suit filed by Onu, challenging the election of Okorie, the court reasoned that Okorie was indolent in submitting his nomination form and could not be allowed to benefit from his wrong doing.
The suit was filed by Silas Onu who challenged the election of Okorie.
According to the judge, it is the finding of the court that the 2nd defendant (Okorie) who submitted his nomination form on Oct. 4, 2021, instead of Oct. 1, 2021, contrary to the guidelines of the conduct of congresses, was not validly nominated.
(NAN)