A Special Assistant to governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state, Mr. Chooks Oko, Friday said the judgment of the Federal High court, Abakaliki was misleading.
The Federal High Court sitting in the State recognised Princess Ann Agom-Eze, as the Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Ebonyi South zone.
Umahi on losing APC Presidential ticket took over the Ebonyi South Senatorial slot from younger brother Austin Umahi
Austin had withdrawn from the race on the 2nd primary election conducted on June 9, 2022.
On securing the ticket after a re-run by the party on same June 9, 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declined to upload the governor’s name as the APC senatorial candidate for Ebonyi south district.
Following the development, Governor Umahi through his Counsel, Roy Nweze Umahi, dragged INEC to the Federal High Court in Abakaliki, to compel the commission to recognise him as the authentic senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South senatorial District.
But Princess Agom-Eze, on Tuesday, approached the court and urged it not to recognise Governor Umahi’s Senatorial bid.
Umahi’s Counsel argued that the governor’s name should be recognised by INEC, hence the 1st winner of the Ebonyi South Senatorial primary election which took place at Afikpo North Local Government Area in the state.
Delivering his judgment on Friday, Justice Fatun Riman, cited section 115 of the Electoral Act 2022, saying the governor was not an aspirant and cannot participate in the election or pre-election matters of the APC as regards the Ebonyi South zone, whose primary held on the 28th day of May 2022.
According to the above section of the new Electoral Act, the governor neither procured forms nor participated in the election and cannot claim any right based on the primary election.
This is coming on the heels of a revelation by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, that politicians who procured multiple forms were criminals and risk two years imprisonment.
Reacting, the counsel to Mrs. Agom-Eze, Barr Nwonu Nnaemeka, said his team’s argument was its client, upon the withdrawal of Austin Umahi from the primary, she should claim all her rights in law as regards the exercise, being the second runner-up.
However, Mr. Oko in a statement the same Friday said the judge was misled by Mrs. Agomeze.
The statement reads, “The attention of the Ebonyi State Governor has been drawn to mischievous fake news by one Mrs. Ann Agom Eze, who contested the Ebonyi South APC senatorial primary election and got one vote, over the court judgment on Ebonyi South APC primaries.
“The judge was misled by Ann Agom Eze who lied on oath that she never withdrew from the contest.
“She further connived with her friend who is a member of the APC Working committee to submit forged documents purported to be coming from APC national headquarters.
“With this false information and the misleading of the learned judge, the pronouncement of the court was that there should be a rerun election within fourteen days where all the parties should participate.
“Ann Agom Eze and her PDP collaborators are ignorant of the wording of section 115 of the electoral law they are quoting as the Governor was never a candidate in any two elections as they are oblivious of the difference between a candidate and an aspirant”.
