Court sacks Anambra APC chairman

A Federal High Court, Awka, Anambra, yesterday nullified the election of Mr. Emeka Ibe as the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Recall that a member of the APC in Anambra and chairmanship aspirant, Chief Uzochukwu Onyekwere, had gone to court to contest the legality of the May 19 state elective congress alleging unlawful exclusion.
Onyekwere, who prayed the court that he was a bona-fide member of APC and was entitled to aspire for the office the party’s chairman in Anambra, had sought declaration that the exercise was not conducted in accordance with the provisions of Section 223 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended and Article 20 of the APC constitution 2017 as amended.
He said the intendment of those provisions was that all elections would be through democratic voting and that the exercise fell short of it and further prayed that he should not be punished for seeking justice through the court and that May 19, 2018 Anambra APC congress be set aside.
Defendants in the suit were Okey Ezea, Representative Kingsley Chinda, chairman of the APC Congress Committee in Anambra, Ibe, the acclaimed winner and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In his over two hours ruling, Justice Bature Gafai dismissed the counter affidavits of defendants which contended that the court did not have jurisdiction over the matter as it was an internal party affair.
Gafai said the plaintiff being a bona-fide of the party and having paid the mandatory nomination fee had the right to fair contest.
He nullified the election into the APC chairmanship position and ordered a re-run which INEC should supervise.
The Judge, who did not grant the damage of N100 million sought by the plaintiff however, did not give that for the repeat of the election.
But in a swift reaction, Chief Tagbo Ike, counsel to the petitioner applauded the court for the judgment and speedy dispensation of justice.
The plaintiff, Onyekwere also lauded the court adding that he had been vindicated and said he would prepare for a congress election that would reflect the minds of the generality of party faithful.

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