A founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party and an aspirant on its platform for the last Bayelsa State governorship election, Ndutimi Alaibe, has said his case on the party’s candidate for the election was not targeted at any individual.
Alaibe said this on Wednesday in an article by his Personal Assistant, Ogio Enize, on the final outcome of the suit he filed against the emergence of Douye Diri, who eventually became the governor.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the suit, submitting that it was an internal affair of the PDP.
Enize said in the article, which is published in full elsewhere on this news website: “The point must however be made that the court action was not directed at any particular individual or group of persons. It was against a twisted process that tried to confer on or dress lawlessness in legal attire. Our joy is that we refused to keep silent in the face of tyranny.
“For avoidance of doubt, our challenge was principally the process leading to the nomination and sponsorship of a candidate of the party, orchestrated deliberately to meet a pre-determined end in favour of a particular person contrary to the express provisions of the PDP Constitution. Our challenge was based on obvious lack of a level-playing ground and the brazen violation of a subsisting court order directing the mode of conduct of the primaries.
“Therefore, in the true spirit of political brotherhood and friendship, irrespective of the uncharitable processes and the outcome of our legal action, Chief Ndutimi Alaibe hereby congratulates and extends his unreserved hand of fellowship to Senator Douye Diri on his emergence as the Governor of Bayelsa. CONGRATULATIONS.”
Enize said though the conclusion of the Supreme Court was not satisfactory, as the last point of arbitration, his principal had accepted the outcome.
He thus called on Alaibe’s supporters to also accept the outcome.
He said: “Based on observations and hints by the Supreme Court on this threshold issue, the lead Counsel to Alaibe, Chief I.A Adedipe (SAN), in deference to the court, withdrew the appeal and same was accordingly dismissed.
“The merits of the appeal and the fundamental issues regarding the eligibility of the delegates that infested the Primary Election process was not determined and thus remained unresolved.
“Rather, the unquestionable though unsatisfying position of the apex court is that in accordance with existing laws and precedence, if complaints were outside the scope contemplated under Section 87(9) of the Electoral Act that provides for right of action in pre-election matters.
“While our supporters may feel justifiably disappointed by the outcome of the case based on the supremacy of the Court’s pronouncement, we have accepted it in good faith, however painful. We feel justified that from the trial court to the apex court, the repulsive processes that led to the Primary were never endorsed by any of the courts.”