The Federal High Court 1, Awka in Anambra State, presided over by Honourable Justice H. A. Nganjiwa, on Friday, disqualified Chief Victor Umeh from contesting in the February 25, 2023 Senatorial election for Anambra Central.
The court, in a 3- hour judgment which was described by legal practitioners as “erudite”, disqualified Umeh on the grounds of noncompliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act as it concerns the membership status of one to contest a party primary.
The court noted that there was no evidence that, the resignation letter by Chief Umeh to the leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was actually received by the party.
Hence his name was still in the register of members of APGA as at September 30, 2022,when he was said to have contested the party’s primary.
And that his (Umeh’s) name was not in the register of members of Labour Party (LP) as at June 3, 2022, date of the primary election of LP.
The court, therefore, declared null and void the publication of Umeh’s name as a candidate earlier by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as he failed to comply with the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the LP constitution.
The court also declared the publication null and void and of no effect.
Justice Nganjiwa further issued an injunction restraining Umeh from parading himself as Senatorial candidate of LP.
The injunction also prevented the LP from accepting or presenting Umeh as her candidate.
The court ordered, amongst others, as follows:
That INEC should delete the name of Chief Victor Umeh as the candidate of Labour party in Anambra central senatorial zone from lost of candidates for 2023 General Elections.
That INEC should not print any ballot paper with Labour party’s logo in Anambra central senatorial zone.
That Labour party should no longer introduce Chief Victor Umeh as the candidate of the party for Anambra central senatorial zone for February 25 general elections.
That Chief Victor Umeh should no longer organize or attend any campaign as the candidate of the Labour party in Anambra central senatorial zone.
That Umeh should no longer parade himself as candidate of Labour party for Anambra central senatorial zone.
That Chief Senator Victor Umeh is still a member of APGA and not a member of the Labour party and cannot contest election on the platform of the party.
The court also stated that the list of Labour party members who filled Umeh’s nomination form showed that they signed the form less than 30 days to the Labour Party primaries which violates the electoral act.
With the judgement, Umeh is completely out of Anambra Central Senatorial Zone as the Court of Appeal will possibly not deliver judgement before February 25,2023.
N.O
