The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has affirmed that the faction which brought up the candidacy of Dr Uche Ogah as the duly nominated candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 governorship election in Abia State is the recognized party leadership in the state.
In the ruling on Friday, Justice Anule Chikere, held that the primary conducted by the party’s national executive is valid and recognized by Section 87 of the Electoral Act and as such, the one that produced Mr Ogah was the only recognized one.
Justice Chikere also held that the primary conducted by the state executive of the Ikechi Emenike-led faction of the APC was illegal, null and void.
In conclusion, she barred INEC from substituting the name of Mr Ogah with any other candidate.
Mr Uche Ogah had taken the APC and the candidate nominated by the party’s executive in the state, Mr Ikechi Emenike, to court asking it to decide which of them was the validly nominated candidate.
