Alaibe To Diri: See You At Court Of Appeal

A former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Chief Timi Alaibe has rejected Tuesday’s judgement of a Federal High Court in Owerri, which dismissed his suit against the current governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri challenging the processes that led to his emergence as candidate of the PDP for last year’s gubernatorial election, for lacking in merit.
Alaibe has already made plans to approach the court of appeal as part of efforts to get justice on the matter. In fact, TNN learnt that Alaibe is ready to go the whole circle, up to the Supreme Court.
One of his close confidants who spoke with him shortly after the judgement told TNN over the telephone that the PDP chieftain was already talking with his lawyers to immediately proceed to the appellate court.
“We have lost at the high court. But Alaibe is going upstairs. I have just spoken with him and he is already making the moves. He cannot stop half way; he will go the full circle. That is the best way to test the laws of our land.
“ We are confident that we will win this matter. So, rest assured that we are going upstairs. I am surprised to hear that you felt the matter will end at the court of first instance. Alaibe has our support to go to the next level on the judicial ladder.”
Alaibe, who approached the Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa in suit number FHC/YNG/CS/99/2019 included the PDP, Diri, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Embeleakpo Alale for himself and representing the elected local government chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors of the PDP who voted as delegates at the elective State Congress of the PDP in Bayelsa State held on September 3, 2019, as co defendants.
Also joined in the suit was Doubra Kumokou, for himself and on behalf of the three ad-hoc delegates at the congress. Alaibe had sought the cancellation of the result of the primary election based on cited procedural flaws.
The suit, which was filed in pursuant to Order 3(9) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019, seeks answers to questions bordering on obvious non-adherence to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2010, the Peoples Democratic Party constitution and election guidelines by the state chapter of the party in the conduct of the ward congresses, inclusion of local government council officials in the delegates list and the procedure for inclusion of three ad-hoc delegates.
Citing specific sections of relevant laws and guidelines, Alaibe had asked 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.
The Alaibe Campaign Organisation 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. The objection covered open disobedience to the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines and the manner in which ward congresses were conducted, among others.