A Federal High Court in Awka presided over by Hon Justice I. B. Gafai has set February 7, 2019 to determine the fate of all the candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) particularly Senator Andy Uba in the coming general elections.
This is coming on the heels of developments in Zamfara and Rivers states where some candidates were barred from participating in the election.
One of the senatorial aspirants of the party in Anambra South, Chief Azuka Okwuosa, had approached the court seeking an order to stop the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from submitting and recognising Senator Uba as APC candidate for the zone.
Okwuosa, in a 7-paragraph writ submitted to the court in support of his argument, alleged that the party did not hold any primary for the selection of any candidate in the zone.
Attached also is a formal protest letter he wrote to the party’s national chairman dated October 8, 2018 in which he lamented the failure of the party to send a committee to the zone for the conduct of the anticipated senatorial primary election on or before the October 7, 2018, deadline set by INEC.
Among the claims of Chief Okwuosa against the APC (1st defendant), INEC (2nd defendant) and Sen Uba (3rd defendant) include, “A declaration that the first defendant did not hold any primaries for the nomination of its senatorial candidate for Anambra South Senatorial district on October 7, 2018, or any other date whatsoever anywhere in the state.
“A declaration that the second defendant is duty bound to enforce the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the APC guidelines.
“A declaration that the submission of the name of the third defendant, Senator Uba by the first defendant (APC) to the second defendant (INEC) as its candidate for the Anambra South Senatorial District in the 2019 general election is wrong and a violation of the constitution.
“An order of injunction restraining the second defendant from accepting any name whatsoever from the first defendant as its candidate for the Anambra South Senatorial election until a proper primary election is held in strict compliance with the constitution and guidelines of APC.
When sought for his comment, APC spokesperson in the state, Okiro Madukife, said the matter is in the court case and cannot comment officially.
