Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has filed a lawsuit against the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.
Wike is suing the former Vice President over the outcome of the PDP presidential primary election that produced Atiku as the winner.
Also joined in the suit as a defendant is Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, who stepped down at the last minute of the contest for Atiku.
Other defendants are the Peoples Democratic Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The lawsuit was filed by the governor alongside another PDP member Michael Ekamon, as shown by filings entered before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.
The defendants have since been served documents of court on July 1, with a PDP official responding to the originating summons on August 5.
The lawsuit is coming in the midst of several attempts by the hierarchy of the party to reconcile all aggrieved parties at the end of the primary elections.
The development looks set to further complicate the drive of the PDP to take over power in 2023.
The party is currently facing an almost uphill task with the emergence of Peter Obi as a third force on the platform of the Labour Party.
Wike came second during the primary election after polling 237 votes to trail Atiku, who polled 371 votes from a total of 767 votes cast.
The Rivers governor blamed his defeat on Tambuwal’s decision to step down for Abubakar at the last minute while describing the process as unfair.
Wike’s anger is said to have intensified after Atiku overlooked him to arrive at Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his vice-presidential candidate.
Atiku said competence and loyalty weighed heavily in his decision on Okowa, even though Wike was recommended by the Vice Presidential Committee for the position.
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