2015 election: Court dismisses suit challenging donation for PDP campaign

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting on Thursday dismissed a suit seeking to challenge a donation for the campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party‎ (PDP) in the 2015 Presidential election.

The trial Judge, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi  threw out the suit filed by one Chief Akinmoju Jero, who joined a businessman, Mr. Benedict ‎Peters and the Northern Belt Oil and Gas Company of Nigeria limited as defendants.

‎Jero had alleged in his suit that Mr. Peters, the 1st defendant in the matter gave a bribe of $115 million to electoral officers to influence the outcome of the 2015 Presidential election in favour of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

An affidavit deposed to by the plaintiff himself alleged that the electoral officers who received the bribe have made confessional statements and have also had all their bank accounts blocked.

He also accused Mr. Peters of donating another $60 million to the PDP campaign fund for the 2015 Presidential election which is far above the recommended amount of N1million by the Electoral Act.

The plaintiff also alleged that the defendant made the donation having received preferential treatment‎ in the award of contract from the former minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke.

‎In his response to the allegation, Peters denied giving bribe to electoral officials to influence the outcome of the elections.

According to an affidavit deposed to by one Andrew Onyearu, ‎the 1st defendant, being a very wealthy man donated to all political parties before the election and also to their candidates.

But, Justice Adeniyi, in his judgment, dismissed the case of the plaintiff for lacking in merit.

The Judge held that, “The two online publications relied upon by the plaintiff are not admissible in law. The evidence is clearly unrelated to the allegation of bribery adduced in this case.

“I have not seen any concrete or factual basis by the plaintiff to support the allegation‎ made against the defendants in this case. The plaintiff has failed to show to the court that the money was donated to influence the outcome of the 2015 Presidential elections.

“The donation made to any political party does not offend any provision of the Electoral Act. The plaintiff has failed to show that the defendants spent $115 million to influence the outcome of the election.

“The defendant did not violate any law by way of his donation to political parties which is allowed in law. The purported allegation of bribery against the defendants is unfounded.

“The plaintiff’s case lacks merit and it is hereby dismissed”, the Judge held in his judgment.