The Supreme Court on Thursday stopped the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) from kicking off Tony Nwoye’s campaign billed to
come up tomorrow in Anambra State pending when it will determine the appeal
brought by one of the contenders to the governorship ticket, Nicholas Ukachukwu
challenging the decision of the Court of Appeal which declared Nwoye as the
authentic candidate of the party.
Also the court stopped Andy Ubah from
joining in the appeal seeking to decide who the authentic standard bearer
of the PDP in Anambra state is, between Tony Nwoye and Nicholas Ukachukwu.
The court, however, fixed Monday to
hear the appeal by Ukachukwu.
Counsel for PDP and Nwoye, Paul
Erokoro and Garba Pul respectively gave an undertaking that none of their
clients will do anything to tamper with the subject matter, so as not to
overreach the court.
This was after counsel to Ukachukwu,
J.B Daudu notified the court that the party is planning to hand over the flag
to Nwoye on Saturday.
It is recalled that the Federal High
Court sitting in Port Harcourt had earlier declared Nicholas Ukachukwu as the
candidate of the party but this was reversed by the Court of Appeal, Port
Harcourt division wherein Tony Nwoye was declared as the authentic candidate.
Not satisfied, Ukachukwu through his counsel, J.B Daudu had approached the apex
court challenging the judgment of the lower court.
Andy Ubah had earlier through his counsel,
Lateef Fagbemi brought an application seeking for leave to be joined as an
interested party in the appeal between Tony Nwoye and Nicholas Ukachukwu which
will be coming up before the court on Monday.
Joined as respondents are the PDP,
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tony Nwoye and Nicholas
Ukachukwu.
Fagbemi hinged his application on
ground that it was the recognized state executive of the party that conducted
the primary that brought Andy Ubah.
He further submitted that the Federal
High Court had earlier given an order that the primary election can only be
conducted by the Ejike Ogbeigbo-led executive which the INEC complied with.
He also submitted that the lower
court turned down their application to be joined as a party before it, hence
the need to seek for joinder before the final decision is reached by the apex
court.
Opposing the application, counsel for
the PDP, Paul Erokoro submitted that the application is an abuse of court
process as the applicant had earlier filed an appeal which has been entered and
pending before the court.
He further argued that contrary to
the submission of the applicant, the national executive of the party has the
power to conduct a congress where a party candidate for a gubernatorial
election will emerge.
He, however, prayed the court to
dismiss the application.
Counsel for Tony Nwoye, Garba Pul
also opposed the application seeking leave stating that the order which the
applicant is relying on was given after the primary election had been
conducted, submitting that the order could not have a retrospect effect.
He also argued that the application
brought by the applicant if granted will delay and complicate the existing
appeal of which the court has fixed Monday for hearing.
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Politics
Double whala 4 PDP,they shud stop disturbing themselves since they knew they can't win d election it is a two horse race btw APGA n APC n u know d people of Anambra wanted a CHANGE 4 better
ReplyDeleteWho told U that we need a chenge?
DeleteWe should do it the american way if a party rule for 8yrs they will vote in another party for a change.another party will expose all the bad things the former government did even embazzlement
ReplyDelete