A State High Court sitting in Owerri Thursday reaffirmed Jude Okeke as the authentic National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, directs the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognize all correspondence from his faction for the November Governorship Election in Anambra State.
Victor Oye-led APGA had in an application, urged the court to stay execution of its earlier judgement on the matter and also grant him leave to appeal the judgement.
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Giving judgement on the applications, Justice Vivian Isiguzo granted Oye leave to appeal but refused to grant the prayer on stay of execution, rather reaffirmed its earlier judgement on the matter.
Counsel to the third respondent Collins Asikilobi noted that all consequential orders made by the trial court are binding on all parties involved in the matter until the appellate court says otherwise
By in today’s ruling, INEC is directly restrained from attempting to remove the name of Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji as the candidate of APGA from its list as being rumoured that it was under pressure to do so.
It would be recalled that the Court of Appeal Kano Division had on the 10th of August, 2021 set aside another judgment of the Jigawa High Court which also held that Chief Jude Okeke is National Chairman of APGA and only governorship Congress held by him shall be valid without making any orders as to who should be the candidate of the party.
Editor: Ena Agbanoma