Crisis Rocks Accord Party as Baridoo asks Federal High Court to declare him guber candidate

Chief Dumo  Lulu Briggs 

The crisis rocking Accord Party in  Rivers State has taken a complicated dimension as Sir Precious Baridoo has  asked the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt to declare him the authentic  governorship candidate of the party. 

In a suit at the Federal High Court on Tuesday, Sir Precious Baridoo told the court that he was duly nominated during the party's governorship primaries on October 4, 2018 before he was illegally substituted with the name of Chief Dump Lulu Briggs who didn't participate  in the party's  governorship primaries.

He stated that Chief Dumo Lulu Briggs cannot claim to be the governorship candidate of Accord Party when he was not even a member of the party. 

Counsel to Sir Precious Baridoo, Mr Wori Wori told journalists after the case was mentioned that Chief Lulu-Briggs and another politician who are not members of Accord Party allegedly substituted the name of the plaintiff without  following due process.

The counsel said contrary to claims by Dumo Lulu Briggs, Sir Precious Baridoo did not withdraw as the nominated candidate  of Accord Party in Rivers State. 

"When the plaintiff realised this plot, he approached the court to seek redress. The plaintiff maintains that Dumo Lulu Briggs is not a member of the Accord Party, never participated in the Governorship primaries and did not win the primaries because he did not participate. 

"Therefore, Dumo Lulu Briggs cannot purport to be a candidate of Accord Party in Rivers State ", Wori  Wori said.

The counsel to Accord Party regretted that Dumo Lulu Briggs has been dodging from court officials since the matter was filed, hence he has not been served. 

The plaintiff applied for substituted  service on Chief Dumo Lulu Briggs, which was granted by Justice Abba Obile of Court 2, Federal High Court, Port Harcourt. 

In an interview, Counsel to Accord Party, Charity Ibezim said that the party has filed preliminary  objection challenging the suit.

The court adjourned the matter to January 17, 2019 for definite hearing of the suit on who will represent Accord Party as Governorship Candidate in Rivers State.