Abia guber: Court sacks Emenike, affirms Ogah as APC candidate

FORMER Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah, was yesterday declared as the duly elected governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court Abuja has declared.

In the judgment, Justice Nyako nullified the candidacy of Ikechi Emenike who was earlier recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), acting on an earlier Appeal Court judgment, as the party’s candidate for the March 11, 2023 governorship election. The APC in the state had held parallel governorship primary elections that produced Ogah and Ikechi Emenike as candidates of the party.

On September 3, the authenticity of Chief Ikechi Emenike’s candidacy was further affirmed by the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division. The appellate court presided over by Justice B. Georgewill dismissed the appeal filed by Mr. Uche Ogah seeking to nullify the candidature of Emenike.

In its judgment on the appeal No. CA/OW/269/2022: APC & ANOR Vs Ikechi Emenike & ANOR, the appellate court dismissed the appeal for lack of merit and endorsed the judgment of the Abia State High Court which recognised Emenike as the authentic candidate of APC.

Reacting to the development, the APC said that despite the judgment declaring Ogah winner of the party’s governorship primaries, Emenike remains its authentic candidate. The party said the judgement cannot be enforced since the Appeal Court had already ruled on the matter.

Weighing in on the controversial judgement, the APC legal adviser in Abia State, Barrister V.C. Nwankwo, said “in the eye of the law, Ikechi Emenike still remains the APC candidate in Abia State.” Nation