By Devine Ndukuba, Awka
A Federal High Court sitting in Awka on Wednesday refused to disqualify Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu as the legitimate candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Nov. 8 Anambra state governorship election.
Mr Valentine Ozigbo, One of the party’s governorship aspirants, had challenged the primary election that produced Ukachukwu as the candidate for the election.
The court, presided over by Justice Evelyn Anyadike, ruled that Ozigbo failed to prove conclusively that Ukachukwu was ineligible to contest the primary election held on April 5.
Ozigbo had petitioned the court to nullify Ukachukwu’s candidacy, arguing that Ukachukwu was not legitimately qualified to participate in the APC primary.
In her judgment, Justice Anyadike acknowledged the presence of discrepancies in the documentation submitted by Ukachukwu but stated that the court lacked jurisdiction to substitute one candidate for another.
“The court cannot interfere in the internal matters of a political party where the plaintiff has not provided incontrovertible proof of the date of membership, nor shown that the party acted outside its constitutional powers,” she stressed.
Reacting to the judgment, Ozigbo reiterated his commitment to justice but said he would consult with his lawyers to determine the next steps.
“We are consulting with our lawyers, and we will decide on our next step. I did not fight this case for myself; I fought for Ndi Anambra. I fought to protect the soul of our democracy, and that fight is far from over.”he stated,
Ozigbo’s legal team had contended that Ukachukwu’s membership registration was retroactively altered to meet the eligibility deadline.
“This was not just about form-filling; it was about principle. It was about saying no to criminality. Unfortunately, the court blinked.”he added.
Meanwhile, Ukachukwu’s supporters commended the judgment, describing it as a just and worthy decision.
Ukachukwu recently concluded a tour of all 21 local government areas in the state to thank party delegates for voting him as the party’s candidate.
