A High Court sitting in Awka, the Anambra State capital, has barred a factional candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the November 6, 2021 governorship election in the state, Valentine Ozigbo, from parading himself as the party’s candidate.
An order issued by Justice Obiora Nwabunike in suit No. A/230/2021, Senator Uba Vs INEC & 2 ORS at the instance of counsel to Uba, Emeka Nwankwo, Esq, also prohibited the PDP from presenting Ozigbo as its candidate.
The court also restrained INEC from accepting Ozigbo as candidate of the PDP until the final determination of the suit brought by Uba to nullify the parallel congress held at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka at which Ozigbo emerged winner with 62 votes.
Uba claimed that the congress at which Ozigbo emerged was convened in disobedience to the judgment of an Abuja High Court, in violation of Section 87 of the Electoral Act, sections 25 and 50 of the PDP Constitution and directive of INEC dated 22nd June 2021 which mandated PDP to comply with the Abuja High Court order issued by the Honourable Justice A.O. Adeniyi.
Uba further claimed that the primary election conducted in the Anambra State congress held at Saint Paul University, Awka at which he (Uba) emerged winner and PDP governorship candidate with 275 votes was the proper party primary election in full obedience to the judgment of an Abuja High Court, compliance with Section 87 of the Electoral Act, sections 25 and 50 of the PDP Constitution.
