The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital has affirmed Mr. Valentine Ozigbo as the authentic candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for the November 6 Anambra State governorship election.
The Court also set aside the decision of a lower court in Awka, the Anambra State capital, restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC from recognizing Mr.Ozigbo as the candidate of the PDP for the election.
The Presiding Judge in the three-man panel, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensen said holding parallel party primaries is an aberration in law.
Justice Dongban-Mensen noted that the PDP governorship primary held at the Dora Akunyili Centre Awka where Mr. Ozigbo took part was in line with the party’s constitution while the parallel primary that was held at Saint Paul University Centre contravened the Nigerian laws.
The panel, headed by President of the Court of Appeal, Monica Dongban Mensen, awarded the cost of N20 million against Senator Ugochukwu Uba who is challenging the outcome of the PDP governorship primary held on 26 June 2021.
The panel, therefore, ordered the Nigerian Electoral body, INEC to recognize Mr. Valentine Ozigbo as the authentic candidate of the PDP for the November polls.
Nnenna.O
