HIGH COURT DISQUALIFIES GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE HOUR AFTER VICTORY AT PRIMARIES

An Abia High Court sitting on Thursday, 26 May, 2022 ruled against the victory of All Progressives Congress aspirant, Chief Ikechi Emenike, the acclaimed winner of the governorship primary election.

Emenike had been declared the victor of Thursday’s controversial primary election in Abia state but Justice O. A. Chijioke nullified the result.

In the suit instituted by Mr. Chinedum Nwole and two others, the judge declared that Emenike lacks the locus standi to contest the primary election because he had earlier been suspended from the party.

The court ruled that both Emenike and the APC State Chairman, Chief Donatus Nwakpa breached article 9.3 of the APC constitution by going ahead to participate in the primary election.

Justice Chijioke declared their participation in the ward, local council, state and the recently held national convention of the party as illegal.

The ruling read in part, “That by the virtue of the suspension of the first defendant (Emenike) as a member of the second defendant (APC), the first defendant cannot participate in whatever form whatsoever in the activities of the second defendant including the scheduled ward, local government, state and national congresses of the second defendant due to take place between 2021 and 2022.

“That order of injunction is hereby made restraining the first defendant from parading, dignifying and or posturing himself as a legitimate member of APC during the subsisting of his suspension from the party as prescribed by the constitution.”