Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday asked an Abuja Federal High Court to join it as a defendant in the suit to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from seeking re-election in 2015.
In its application in the suit, the PDP said Jonathan was a member of the party “who is capable of being sponsored for the 2015 presidential election”.
A Port Harcourt-based legal practitioner, Mr. Henry Amadi, had prayed the court to declare that Jonathan was not eligible to run for another election, because by so doing, he would be in office for more than two terms of four years as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution.
Another PDP member, Mr. Cyriacus Njoku, had earlier asked a Federal Capital Territory High Court to stop Jonathan from contesting the poll for the same reason.
Amadi, who named Jonathan and the Independent National Electoral Commission in the suit, also asked the court to direct the electoral umpire not to accept Jonathan’s nomination in 2015, arguing that, should he win, the President would be taking the oath of office for a th ird time, an act he said was illegal.
When the matter came up on Wednesday before Justice Adamu Bello, the PDP argued that any decision taken in the matter would affect it.
In the application filed by its National Legal Adviser, Mr. Kwon Victor, the party also asked the court to direct the plaintiff to amend his originating processes to reflect the PDP as a defendant and cause the same to be served on the party.
The party said, “This action cannot be effectually and completely be determined without joining the applicant herein.
“By the very tenor of the reliefs sought by the plaintiff, this suit questions the right of the applicant to sponsor one of its members (Jonathan) for the 2015 presidential elections.
“The applicant herein seeks to protect its interest in the present action by this application.
“Having been sponsored by the applicant (PDP) for the 2011 election and Jonathan being a member of the PDP, who is capable of being sponsored for the 2015 presidential election, the PDP will directly be affected by the outcome of the decision of this court one way or the other.”
Amadi, however, opposed the application, asking the court not to join the party in the suit.
The court adjourned to February 26 to hear the PDP’s application.
Jonathan had argued earlier that he could stay in office for more than eight years.
In a counter-affidavit on his behalf by Mr. Ade Okeaya-Inneh, SAN, Jonathan asked the court to dismiss the suit, noting that the plaintiff was an ordinary individual, who was not qualified to request the court to stop him from contesting the poll.
Jonathan argued that the plaintiff failed to disclose a reasonable cause of action, adding that the plaintiff’s claim was hypothetical and academic.
The President maintained that he took the first oath of office on May 6, 2010 following the death of former President Umaru Yar’Adua.
Punch Nigeria
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