Court Dismisses Umo Eno as PDP Guber Candidate for Akwa Ibom

The primary election that produced Umo Eno as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) nominee for governor in Akwa Ibom State has been declared invalid by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to a ruling issued on January 20 by Justice Fadima Aminu, the PDP must nominate Michael Enyong as their candidate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Enyong claimed he had won the party’s primary elections held on May 25, 2022, in the lawsuit with the filing date of August and the case number FHC/ABJ/CS/1295/2022.

He had pointed the court to an order made on May 18 by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in the case FHC/ABJ/CS/606/2022, which prohibited the PDP from using its list of ad hoc delegates to hold its gubernatorial primary election in Akwa Ibom while the substantive suit was still being decided.

Enyong claimed that he won the indirect primary election with 2,448 of the 2,776 total recognized votes, making him the victor.

However, he claimed that the party’s refusal to nominate him as the governorship candidate prompted his decision to seek legal action.

Even though there is evidence that the second defendant (PDP) was served with the initial summons and other processes, and despite INEC’s continued impartial attitude in the case, PDP never appeared.

The judge who rendered the verdict stated that Enyong had presented strong evidence that was sufficient to establish his case beyond a reasonable doubt.

According to Justice Aminu, the plaintiff is therefore proclaimed the legitimately nominated PDP candidate for governor after winning the primary election held in Akwa Ibom state for the upcoming 2023 general elections held on May 25th, 2022.

The judgment ordered that any additional governorship primary elections occurring after the legally lawful election of May 25, 2022, are invalid and, along with their results, are hereby declared null and void.

Justice Aminu further mandated that the PDP submit Enyong’s name and other pertinent information to INEC as its legitimate candidate.

The judgment further said that INEC must recognize Enyong, give him a nomination form, or announce his name as the PDP’s candidate for governor of Akwa Ibom state in the upcoming general elections in 2023.