The apex court lacks the authority to hear the case since it is a PDP internal matter, according to the panel of justices, who dismissed the lawsuit.
The Nigerian Supreme Court has dismissed a suit seeking to compel the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to zone its presidential ticket to the South.
The apex court lacks the authority to hear the case since it is a PDP internal matter, according to the panel of justices, who dismissed the lawsuit.
The decision relates to an appeal filed by Cosmos Ndukwe, a former PDP presidential candidate and immediate Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly.
The suit was filed against Iyorchia Ayu, the party's national chairman.
Ndukwe sought an order of the court to compel the PDP to zone the nomination of its presidential candidate to the South-East geo-political zone of the country.
Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, won the PDP presidential primaries for the 2023 presidential election after the party opened up its ticket to interested members from all regions of the country.
A constitutional lawyer, Mr. Johnmary Jideobi had also approached the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja in June, contending that Atiku is not constitutionally qualified to participate in the presidential contest.
The Plaintiff, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/751/2022, posed two legal questions for the court to determine, after which he sought seven principal reliefs against Atiku, PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who were cited as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matter.