Victor Ezeja
Federal High Court sitting in Awka has ruled that Senator Dr. Andy Uba is an authentic candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State.
Comrade Maxwell Samuel Okoye had filed a suit No: FHC/AWK/CS/48/21, challenging the outcome of the 26th June of Anambra State Gubernatorial primary election where Uba was said to have emerged as the flag bearer of the APC.
In the suit, APC, Sen. Uba, Dapo Abiodun, Governor of Ogun State, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were listed as defendants.
Abiodun was the chairman of the APC primary election Committee in Anambra State.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelOkoye prayed the court to declare that he was the rightful winner of the primary election not Senator Uba, among other reliefs. He alleged that his name was substituted with that of Uba after the election and tendered a result sheet document as evidence.
In a 32-page judgement, Justice H. A. Ngangiwa validated Uba’s candidacy. The judge held that Okoye failed to proved that he validly won the election as the result sheet he tendered as evidence before the court was found not to be authentic and APC disowned the result sheet document presented by the plaintiff (Okoye).
That of Senator Uba was certified to be authentic copy of the election result as it was duly signed by all the members of the primary election committee including, the chairman Dapo Abiodun and the secretary, Senator John Enoh, and stamped with the APC CTC stamp.
In concluding the ruling, the judge said, “it is obvious that in absence of any substantial, material and uncontradicted evidence supplied by the Plaintiff to show that he won the primary election, his suit is bound to collapse. I am of the humble opinion that the Plaintiff’s claims fails and all the reliefs are hereby refused and the suit is accordingly dismissed for lacking in merit.
“There is no order as to cost. That is the Judgment of the Court”.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
