Bayelsa: Alaibe Goes To Court To Stop Dickson’s Man

Asolo Eyedoude

Chief Timi Alaibe, an aspirant in the recent Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governorship primaries in Bayelsa State has approached the courts to nullify the exercise he claims was filled with irregularities.

Professor Seiyefa Brisibe, Administrative Secretary, Alaibe Campaign Organization in a statement said Chief Alaibe on Friday September 13, 2019, approached the Federal High Court in Yenagoa Judicial Division, Bayelsa State with an application for cancellation of the result of the primary election based on cited procedural flaws.

According to him, the exercise was in contravention of the PDP constitution and the Electoral Act, 2010.

While citing specific sections of relevant laws and guidelines, Chief Alaibe is asking the court to examine the entire processes that resulted in the primaries and rule in his favour in the light of violations committed in a desperate move to impose a pre-determined hand-picked candidate on the people out of 21 aspirants.

It would be recalled that the Timi Alaibe Campaign Organization had raised objections against what it described as crass disrespect for legal procedures and party guidelines in the build-up to the conduct of the governorship primary election by the State Chapter of the PDP.

Specifically, the Campaign Organization had protested the inclusion of the newly elected council chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors in the delegates list contrary to the provisions of the PDP Constitution; the manner in which electoral and returning officers were picked to favour aspirants endorsed by the already alleged biased leadership of the party in the state; the manner in which the 315 ad-hoc delegates were directed to vote contrary to already established judicial precedents; among other issues.

The suit, with reference number FHC/YNG/CS/99/2019, has as defendants: the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Douye Diri, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Embeleakpor Alale for himself and representing the elected local government chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors of the PDP allowed to be delegates at the elective State Congress of the PDP in Bayelsa State held on September 3, 2019.

Also joined in the suit as defendant is Doubra Kumokou, for himself and on behalf of the Three Ad-Hoc Delegates allowed to be delegates at the elective State Congress.

The former Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs wants the court to determine whether the pre-election actions and inactions of the defendants satisfied conditions specified in relevant sections of Nigeria’s Constitution, the Electoral Acts and certain sections of the PDP Constitution.

It is Chief Alaibe’s prayers that the entire processes be declared unconstitutional and the declaration of Senator Diri as the winner be declared invalid having failed to comply with relevant sections of the laws governing such processes.

He is also seeking an order setting aside the purported submission of Senator Diri’s name to INEC by the PDP as its candidate in the governorship election coming up on November 16, 2019 in view of the several legal and procedural infractions cited.

In view of this, he wants the court to order the conduct of fresh primary elections for the nomination and sponsorship of the candidate for the governorship election in Bayelsa State. 

No date has yet been fixed for hearing in the case.

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