The Federal High Court in Abuja has declined to disqualify Ahmed Ododo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi State.
Delivering judgement, Justice Egwuatu dismissed a suit that was brought before it by a Governorship aspirant of the party, Abubakar Achimugu
Usman Ododo had emerged as winner of a primary election the APC conducted in the state on April 14, but, dissatisfied with the outcome of the primary poll, the plaintiff approached the court, alleging that the APC candidate did not validly resign his employment with the Kogi state public service, at least, 30 days before he participated in the election.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu while delivering judgment, held that there was evidence before the court that Ododo validly resigned from service before he participated in the primary election, as his resignation letter was received by the Office of the Kogi State Governor on March 8.
MUST READ: Just In: Ahmed Usman Ododo Wins Kogi State APC Governorship Ticket
According to Justice Egwuatu, the resignation of the defendants took effect from the moment the letter that conveyed the notice, was received by the Kogi state government.
The court therefore, dismissed the suit for want of merit.
In the suit brought before the court, Achimugu said that Ododo’s failure to resign within the statutorily stipulated period, amounted to a breach of Section 182 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and Article 7 of APC’s Constitution.
The plaintiff specifically prayed the court to declare that the 2nd and 3rd defendants, at the time of the concluded primary election of April 14, 2023 and April 15 when results was announced, were not qualified or eligible, not validly nominated, and the purported nomination is unconstitutional, not eligible to bear the flag of the APC, as its governorship candidate for the November 11 Kogi State governorship election
(EDITOR: TIENABESO BIBIYE)
