An Abuja Federal High Court has nullified Senator Andy Uba’s participation in the last governorship election held in Anambra State on November 6, 2021.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, held that Uba was never a candidate in the election having emerged from an illegally conducted primary election by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Ekwo held that the plaintiff, George Moghalu succeeded in proving that the APC did not conduct a valid primary election from which Uba claimed to have emerged as the party’s candidate.
The judge however ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) to delete Uba from its record as a candidate in the election.
He also ordered the APC to refund to the plaintiff, the N22,500,000 he paid for expression of interest and nomination forms since the party failed to conduct a valid primary.
George Moghalu had sued the APC for forwarding Uba’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its nominee in the Anambra election, as there was no primary election on June 26, 2021, which Senator Uba or any other person could have won and, therefore, qualified to be the party’s standard bearer.
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Moghalu filed documents lamenting that the Nomination/Expression of Interest forms cost him and other aspirants a whopping N23 million each, whereas no primary election known to law was conducted by the party.
He also tendered copies of the official report of INEC, which confirmed that no primary election was conducted within the time stipulated by law.
He then urged the court to nullify the purported primary election and order a fresh one as there was no primary election by the party on June 26.
The court had slated November 4, 2021 for its verdict, but, Uba, through his counsel, Magaji Mahmud, wrote the presiding judge on November 2, 2021 requesting for another date, as the election was fast approaching.
Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie
