Anambra Guber: Court Declares Umeoji As APGA Candidate, Affirms Jude Okeke as National Chairman
By Appolos Christian
A High Court sitting in Owerri on Wednesday dismissed a suit filed before it seeking to nullify the Owerri Convention of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) which led to the emergence of Chief Jude Okeke as National Chairman of the party.
The petitioner had also prayed the court to nullify all the actions carried out by Jude Okeke as national chairman of APGA, including the conduct of the primary election for Anambra State and nomination of Hon. Chuma Umeoji as the candidate.
The plaintiff, one Chief Chiki Dike, a loyalist to the Oye Njoku led faction, had sought for orders to invalidate the national convention of APGA held on 31st May, 2019 and the subsequent emergence of Chief Jude Okeke as the acting National Chairman, the
In his ruling, Justice B.C Iheka dismissed the claims and granted the prayers for consequential orders sought by Chief Okeke affirming the validity of the Owerri convention of APGA, his subsequent appointment by the NEC as the Acting National Chairman and the primary election of APGA held on 1st July, 2021 as well as the nomination of HON. Chuma Umeoji as APGA candidate for the election.
He ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which was joined as 1st Defendant in the suit to recognise Chuma Umeoji as authentic candidate of APGA.
The order read, “that the 1st Defendant (INEC) is hereby ordered to accord the 3rd Defendant the due recognition and forthwith continue to accept, recognize or publish the name of Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji, being the candidate nominated at the primary election conducted by the 3rd Defendant on 1st July, 2021, as the candidate of APGA for the Anambra State governorship election scheduled to hold on 6th November, 2021 or at any other date and to mandatorily include the said Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji, as the governorship candidate of APGA in all the electoral process for the Anambra State governorship election.”
