A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered an accelerated hearing on a suit seeking to stop the planned presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The court gave the PDP; its National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, four days within which to file their responses to the suit against them.

Justice Donatus Okorowo gave the order while delivering a ruling in an application for abridgment of time argued by Paul Erokoro (SAN) on behalf of the plaintiff in the suit, Cosmos Ndukwe.

The judge fixed May 18 for the adoption of final addresses in the matter immediately after which a judgment date would be fixed.

Justice Okorowo held that it would be in the interest of justice for the suit to be determined before the May 28 date of the primary election.

Erokoro had in the application, pleaded with the court to abridge the time for the suit of his client to be expeditiously heard.

Cosmos Ndukwe is currently a Commissioner for Trade and Investment in Abia State as well as a presidential aspirant on the PDP platform.

He asked the court to stop PDP from proceeding with the presidential primary election on the ground of alleged refusal of the party to zone the presidential ticket of the party to the South-East geo-political zone.