Chinedum Elekwachi
Federal High Court sitting in Awka on Wednesday ruled against Mr Valentine Ozigbo, an aspirant of All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ozigbo had challenged the election of Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu as candidate of the party for the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State.
The court presided over by Justice Evelyn Anyadike held that Ozigbo was unable to prove conclusively that Ukachukwu was not eligible for the primary election which was held on April 5.
Ozigbo had petitioned the court to nullify Ukachukwu’s candidacy.
He argued that Ukachukwu was not legitimately qualified to contest the party’s primary election.
But in her judgement, Justice Anyadike held that there were discrepancies worthy of concern in the documentation presented by Ukachukwu.
She however that the court lacks the jurisdiction to substitute one candidate for another.
She said: “The court cannot interfere in the internal matters of a political party where the plaintiff has not provided incontrovertible proof of the date of membership, nor shown that the party acted outside its constitutional powers.”
Commitment to justice
Reacting to the judgement, Ozigbo reiterated his commitment to justice, stating that he would consult with his lawyers on the next steps.
“We are consulting with our lawyers, we will decide on our next step. I did not fight this case for myself, I fought for Ndi Anambra.
“I fought to protect the soul of our democracy, and that fight is far from over,” he said.
Ozigbo’s legal team had argued that Ukachukwu’s membership registration was altered retroactively to beat the eligibility deadline.
Ozigbo added: “This was not just about form-filling, it was about principle. It was about saying no to criminality. Unfortunately, the court blinked.”
Meanwhile, Ukachukwu’s supporters rejoiced over the judgment.
Ukachukwu had recently concluded a tour to all the 21 local government areas of the state, to thank delegates for electing him as the candidate.
