PDP urges Labour Party to accept Court of Appeal’s ruling on Senate seat

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State has advised the Labour Party (LP) to accept the verdict of the Court of Appeal, which removed Senator Darlington Nwokocha from the Senate.

In a statement issued by Abraham Amah, the Vice Chairman and acting Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Abia, the party emphasized that the Appeal Court’s decision is final and cannot be overturned.

The PDP responded to statements made by Ceakay Igara, the LP Chairman in Abia State, in which he rejected the court’s declaration of Austin Akobundu as the duly elected senator for Abia Central. The PDP advised the LP to adhere to court orders, accept Senator Nwokocha’s removal, and support PDP’s legal victory.

The PDP presented 19 grounds of appeal at the Appeal Court, and it argued that Section 77 is both a pre-election and post-election matter, suggesting that the LP couldn’t effectively defend against most of the PDP’s grounds.

The PDP also noted that a circular from the Labour Party in Ikwuano LGA was calling LP members to a solidarity rally to protest the Court of Appeal’s judgment, which it considered unprecedented in democratic history.

The statement emphasized the importance of respecting the final and competent jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal, stating that calling for a review of its judgment is tantamount to promoting anarchy.

Furthermore, the PDP criticized the LP for not providing a copy of the Appeal Court judgment to the press during their press conference before demanding a reversal of the verdict. The PDP highlighted that the LP had not protested when previous judgments were in their favor.

The PDP cautioned that any protests against the Appeal Court’s ruling could lead to a security breach in Abia and urged its members to remain calm in the state.