Court Nullifies Emenike’s Emergence As APC Guber Candidate in Abia
- The victory of Chief Ikechi Emenike, the acclaimed winner of the APC governorship primary in Abia has been shortlived
- A court in the state nullified Emenike's victory declaring the governorship primary election in the state describing the exercise as illegal
- The court declared that Emenike lacks the locus standi to contest the primary election based on the fact that he had been suspended from the party
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Umuahia - An Abia High Court has nullified the victory of Chief Ikechi Emenike, the acclaimed winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election held in the state on Thursday, May 26.
At the end of Thursday's controversial primary election in Abia state, the embattled Chief Emenike was declared the winner.
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But a court presided by Justice O. A Chijioke, in a suit instituted by Mr. Chinedum Nwole and two others, declared that Emenike lacks the locus standi to contest the primary election based on the fact that he had been suspended from the party.
The court ruled that both Emenike and the Abia state chairman of the party, Chief Donatus Nwakpa breached article 9.3 of the APC constitution by going ahead to participate in the primary election.
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According to Vanguard newspaper, the court declared as illegal the participation of the duo in the ward, local council, state, and the recently held national convention of the party.
The judge ruled 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, signifying, and or posturing himself as a legitimate member of APC during the subsisting of his suspension from the party as prescribed by the constitution."
The court thereby directed the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to henceforth desist from having any dealing with the duo based on the subsisting court order.
Also, contrary to the directive of the national leadership which directed that the party employ a direct primary for the governorship primary election in Abia state, the APC leadership in the state defied the directive by using an indirect mode to conduct the controversial exercise.
2023: Zamfara APC chieftains close ranks as Yari orders withdrawal of court cases
Meanwhile, following the reconciliation of the warring camps in the Zamfara chapter of the APC, a former governor of the state, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of four litigations instituted against the party in the state.
The national chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, had on May 8/9 reconciled the camp of Governor Bello Matawalle and that of his predecessor, Yari, and Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa.
The announcement of the withdrawal of the suits was made by Senator Marafa at the end of a consultative meeting of stakeholders held at Garba Nadama hall in Gusau, the Zamfara state capital on Wednesday 25.
2023: Group holds rally in Abuja, calls for transparent presidential primary
In a related development, the APC Youth Development and Solidarity Forum has tasked the party’s new leadership to consolidate on its rancour-free national convention to conduct a free and fair presidential primary.
To stand a chance at next year’s general elections, the group said the Senator Adamu-led executives must ensure that the party parades its most popular aspirant as a presidential candidate.
The forum made this known at a one-day rally in Abuja on Thursday, April 14 to congratulate Senator Abdullahi Adamu and his team.
Source: Legit.ng
