Justice Obiora Nwabunike of Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka has ordered the factional candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Valentine Ozigbo to stop parading himself as the party’s candidate for the November 2021 governorship election.
Gatekeepers News reports that in suit no. A/230/2021 SENATOR UBA VS INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION & 2 ORS at the instance of counsel to Uba, Emeka Nwankwo, Esq, the Judge also on Tuesday forbids the PDP from presenting Ozigbo as its candidate.
INEC is also prohibited from admitting Ozigbo as a PDP candidate until the final judgment of the suit brought by Uba to nullify the parallel congress held at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka in which Ozigbo emerged winner with 62 votes.
Gatekeepers News reports that Uba alleged that the congress at which Ozigbo emerged was conducted in violation of the judgment of an Abuja High Court, which violates 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 Justice AO Adeniyi.
Uba stressed that the primary election conducted at the Anambra State Congress held at Saint Paul University Awka at which 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 and directive of INEC dated 22nd June 2021 which mandated PDP to comply with the Abuja High Court order issued by the honourable Justice AO Adeniyi.
In the 7 paragraph, 3-page order signed by Justice O.A. Nwabunike and certified by Okeke T.A., Deputy Director, Awka Division of the Anambra State High Court, the judge in paragraph prohibits the three Defendants: INEC, PDP and Ozigbo as follows: ” The Defendants are hereby ordered and directed to await the determination or outcome of this suit and restrained from presenting, receiving, parading, or accepting any person as the Governorship candidate of the 2nd Defendant’s party [PDP] for the Governorship election fixed for the 6th November 2021 to elect Governor of Anambra State.”
The court thereafter adjourned the hearing of the main suit to 12th July 2021.
