The Peoples Democratic Party in Anambra State has initiated contempt proceedings against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for allegedly flouting an order of a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The order allegedly flouted by Jega was said to have restrained INEC from accepting ‘any delegate list or nominated candidates’ from the congresses or primaries conducted by the caretaker committee set up by the party’s national leadership to manage the affairs of the PDP in Anambra State.
The contempt suit was filed on December 31, 2014, by the Chairman and Legal Secretary of Anambra PDP – Ejike Oguebego and Chuks Okoye – “for themselves and the state’s Executive Committee of the party.”
Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja had, in his December 5, 2014 judgment in suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/854/2014 affirmed the plaintiffs’ leadership of the party.
Justice Chukwu declared the caretaker committee purportedly set up by the national leadership of the party in Anambra State as illegal on the grounds that it was wrongly constituted while the tenure of the Oguebego-led EXCO was yet to expire.
The court restrained INEC and its agents from accepting any delegate list or nominated candidates from primaries or congresses conducted by the illegal committee.
The plaintiffs in their motion on notice seeking to sanction Jega for allegedly disobeying court order, seek among others, “an order committing Prof Attahiru Jega, Chairman, INEC for contempt of court for disobeying and refusing to comply with the order of this court made on December 5, 2014 and served on him on December 8, 2014.”
In the application which was filed through their counsel, Mr. Taiwo Abe, the plaintiffs also seek an order directing INEC, “particularly its Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega – contemnor to comply forthwith with the orders of the court made on December 5, 2014.”
The Anambra PDP led by Oguebego hinged its prayers on the grounds that INEC and its Chairman were yet to obey the December 5 order and that their refusal to obey the order had adversely affected the nominated candidates that emerged from the National Assembly primary it conducted.
“Except the order sought for in this application is granted, the 2nd defendant (INEC), particularly its Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega will continue to disobey and refuse to comply with the orders except they are compelled to do so,” the applicants said in a supporting affidavit.
A vacation judge at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice, Ahmed Mohammed, had on December 31, ordered the service of the processes in relation to the committal proceedings and hearing notices on INEC and Jega.
The judge adjourned further proceedings till January 7.
By then court would have resume from its vacation and the matter will be heard by Justice Chukwu.
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