A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja Wednesday refused to nullify the election of Professor Chukwuma Soludo, the governor-elect of Anambra state.
The judgment delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, dismissed the suit that sought to invalidate Soludo’s election.
The suit is premised on the allegation that he supplied false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The court awarded APGA, Soludo and Ibezim N2million costs against the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs in the matter, Adindu Valentine and Egwudike Chukwuebuka, had in their suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/711/2021, alleged that Soludo lied in the affidavit (Form EC9), which he submitted to INEC.
They alleged that Soludo, in an affidavit attached to his nomination form, stated that he was contesting the Aguata 2 constituency seat, when, in fact, he was contesting the governorship seat.
They also claimed that the affidavit Soludo’s running mate and deputy governor-elect, Onyeka Ibezim, also submitted to INEC, contained false particulars considering the fact that he stated he was vying for Awka 2 constituency seat.
INEC, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Soludo and the deputy governor-elect, Ibezim, are all defendants in the suit.
Arguing through their lawyers, A. O. Ijeri and Kelvin Okoko, the plantiffs insisted that having indicated the wrong seat on the form, Soludo, violated extant legal provisions and ought to be disqualified.
Countering, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, counsel for APGA and Soludo, queried jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter which he maintained was statute barred.
