92
Again, the coast is clearer and the way paved for Prof. Charles Soludo as APGA’s candidate for the November 6, 2021 Anambra State Governorship poll as the Court of Appeal has affirmed his candidature.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Kano on Tuesday handed down a judgment nullifying the June 30, 2021 judgment of Birkin Kudu Division of Jigawa State High Court which sacked Chief Victor Ike Oye as the APGA National Chairman.
The Appellate court in a unanimous judgment disagreed with the lower court which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Mr Jude Okeke, its faction of the party and their governorship candidate, Mr Chukwuma Umeoji.
It ruled that the Jigawa Court had no “territorial jurisdiction to entertain the case ad binitio.”
Persecondnews had reported that one-time Central Bank Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, had emerged the Anambra governorship candidate of APGA in a keenly contested primary held on Wednesday, June 24, 2021, in Akwa, Anambra capital.
The officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the primary amid tight security.
Soludo garnered 740 votes out of 792 valid votes cast by delegates to beat his rivals, Rep. Okwudili Ezenwakwo, who scored 41 votes, Damian Okolo, seven votes and Thankgod Ibeh, four votes.
Mr Samson Olalere, the Returning Officer, said Soludo had fulfilled the provisions of Electoral Act and APGA guidelines and issued Soludo the Certificate of Return while Gov. Willie Obiano, raised Soludo’s hand as the duly elected candidate of the party for the November poll.
Obiano had congratulated Soludo for the victory while calling on party faithful to continue to support the party.
Excited and victorious Soludo accepted the APGA ticket, saying: “I accept your nomination in the November 6 governorship election. I am proud that I came from Anambra. I offer nothing but statement of gratitude, thank you for the mandate to fly our flag. I assure INEC that APGA is a law-abiding party.
“I salute the other aspirants. I salute you. This is the time to unite. We won the primary by over 80 percent, but let us come together.
“The coming election is consequential for the state. It will determine our match for progression of retrogression.”
On July 19, an Anambra High Court in Awka had ordered INEC to restore Soludo as the candidate of APGA after the commission removed his name from the list of candidates cleared for Nov. 6 poll.
INEC had replaced Soludo’s name with that of Chukwuma Umeoji as the candidate of APGA.
The commission also replaced the APGA deputy governorship candidate, Onyekachi Ibezim, with Obiagelu Orogbu.
