The Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, on Tuesday adjourned the suit for the sack of Abia State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2023 elections,Chief Ambrose Okechukwu Ahiwe, to March 14 for hearing.

The court also gave an order for substituted service of the originating summons and other court processes on Ahiwe.

The Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/226/2023 was filed by Senator Emma Nwaka, erstwhile State Chairman of the party against the said candidate, PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Nwaka is challenging the emergence of Ahiwe on the grounds that having not participated in the guber primary election of May 25, 2022, it was wrong for the party to allow him to take part in the rerun primary election of February 4, 2023.

Filed on February 16 at a Federal High Court in the FCT Abuja, the suit was later transferred to Umuahia.

Already, the originating summons have been served on PDP and INEC at their respective Abuja Headquarters.

Nwaka toldNews Expressthat there was nothing to worry about regarding the adjourning of the hearing of the suit till after the March 11 governorship election. He said: “Being a pre-election matter, the outcome of the election will not affect it in anyway. If we are able to prove our case in court, the defendant would be caused to vacate his position if he was successful in the election. Under the new Electoral Act, this case must be concluded within180 days.”