ANAMBRA ELECTIONS: COURT VOIDS TONY NWOYE'S CANDIDACY

The crisis over who flies the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) in the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State has
taken a new twist. A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has voided
the candidacy of Mr. Tony Nwoye who emerged...
winner of the August 14
primary election conducted by the Ken Emeakayi- led faction of the
Anambra PDP. The suit was filed by one of the governorship aspirants
of the PDP for the Anambra election, Prince Nicholas
Ukachukwu in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/296/2013 on August 28. Ukachukwu,
through his lead counsel, Mr. Rickey Tarfa SAN, had sought the leave
of
the court to void Nwoye's candidature as declared by the PDP and
accepted by the Independent National Electoral Commission. In judgment
delivered by Jusice S. A Aliyu on Tuesday, the court held that Nwoye
was not eligible to participate in the August 24 primary election
conducted under the supervision of Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina
State.
The judge declared Ukachukwu the candidate of the PDP for the election
on the ground that he was the only qualified aspirant in the said
primary election. According to Justice Aliyu, Ukachukwu scored the
highest number of votes cast at the election. He restrained Nwoye from
parading himself as the candidate of the PDP for the election. The
judge also restrained the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga
Tukur, leadership of the party and the INEC from presenting Nwoye as
candidate for the poll. "It is hereby declared that based on the
dictates of paragraph 4(a) of Part IV of the Electoral Guidelines for
Primary Elections 2010 of the Peoples Democratic Party, the first
defendant (Tony Nwoye) was not eligible to participate and or take
part in the gubernatorial primary election
conducted on the 24th day of August 2013 by the 2nd defendant (PDP)
for the selection of its candidate for the Anambra State governorship
election scheduled to hold on November 16, 2013 or another date. "An
order of mandatory injunction is hereby made compelling the 4th
defendant (INEC) to recognise, screen the plaintiff (Ukachukwu),
publish and put his name on the ballot paper as the authentic
candidate of the 2nd defendant (PDP) for the Anambra State
governorship election scheduled to take place on November 16, 2013 or
any other date," Justice Aliyu
ruled.