A full panel of Nigeria’s Supreme Court of Nigeria sitting in Abuja, on Friday, sacked the senators and members of the House of Representatives from Anambra State.
The decision swept away a host of lawmakers from Anambra State, including the Senator representing Anambra North Senatorial District, Stella Oduah and her counterpart representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Andy Ubah. Also affected are members of the House of Representatives elected on the ticket of the PDP.
Chris Uba, younger brother to Andy Uba, and Prince Emeka are expected to take over seats vacated by Andy Uba and Stella Oduah respectively.
Former Senator Annie Okonkwo is in line to represent the PDP in a forthcoming election to fill a senatorial seat held by Uche Ekwunife who was sacked last December by the Court of Appeal.
Yesterday’s ruling by the Supreme Court upheld an earlier decision by Justice Chukwu of the Federal High Court laying out the proper procedures for selection of the PDP’s legislative candidates.
In December 2014, the Federal High Court had ruled that it was only the constitutionally recognized state party leadership led by Ejike Oguebego that could organize the party primaries.
The Supreme Court’s ruling reaffirmed the High Court’s verdict, declaring that the Ejike Oguebego-led PDP executive had the sole right to hold the primaries in Anambra State.
Earlier, the Court of Appeal had sacked Uche Ekwunife as the senator representing Anambra Central and INEC is set to organise a re-run. Ekwunife was also one of those nominated but the Justice H.A. Ngajiwa of the Federal High Court had earlier in a judgement in the suit, FHC/PH/CS/2013 (now FHC/AWK/CS/247/2013), delivered on September 12, 2013, affirmed Oguebego and members of his team as constituting the authentic executive committee of the PDP in Anambra State.
The judge had refused the prayer by the plaintiffs asking the court to recognise a former state chairman of the party, Ken Emekayi, and some others as the authentic PDP EXCO in Anambra State.
But in defiance to the order made by Justice Ngajiwa, directing INEC and the PDP to only “recognise and deal” with only the Oguebego-led EXCO, the PDP went ahead to set up a caretaker committee, which organised primaries that submitted the list containing the names of Uba and Oduah and the rest of the legislators as its candidates.
However, on their part, Oguebego and Okoye initiated a fresh suit before Justice Chukwu, which culminated in a judgement, which among others, restrained the PDP and INEC from recognising the list of candidates which emerged from the primaries organised by the Akobundo-led caretaker committee.
The judgement of the Federal High Court affirmed by the Supreme Court on Friday had read in part, “That the second defendant (INEC), its agents, servants, privies, assigns, officials, whatsoever name they may be called, are restrained from accepting or receiving any delegate list or nominated candidates that may emerge from the congresses or primaries conducted by the caretaker committee set up by the first defendant for the Peoples Democratic Party, Anambra State chapter except those that emanate from the plaintiffs.
“That the first defendant the Peoples Democratic Party by the purported appointment of a caretaker committee to oversee, run the affairs and conduct elections for the Peoples Democratic Party, Anambra State chapter is in flagrant disobedience and contempt of the Order of this Honourable court made by Honourable Justice E.S Chukwu on the 10th day of October, 2014 and re-affirmed on the 24th in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS680/2014 – Ken Emekayi Vs. Peoples Democratic Party and others.”
Speaking after the Supreme Court judgement on Friday, lawyers representing Oguebego and his EXCO, Mr. Chris Uche, said, “The Supreme Court’s judgement has effectively restored the list of candidates upheld by the Federal High Court.”
His view was corroborated in a separate interview by INEC’s lawyer, Mr. Hassan Liman (SAN), who said he would advise his “client to substitute the list of the PDP legislators with the list upheld by the Federal High Court.”
Liman said it was unnecessary to conduct fresh elections. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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This information is so fake, last time I checked, only governorship and presidential election gets to Supreme Court. House of Assembly, Reps and Senators end at appeal court. Please find out.
ReplyDeleteUmpire, you're the one wrong dear. The information was right and very correct. It wasn't the National Assembly candidates here that went to supreme Court rather the factions of the party(PDP) leadership. Hence the faction that produced those senators and house representatives were declared illegal by the apex court, their representations were thereby nullified and given to those nominated by the recognized faction of the party in the state. That was what happened.
DeleteYou dnt knw nothing
Delete@Greatsomyg and Anony 6.48pm, thanks for the enlightenment.
DeleteUmpire the contest was at the high court and not at the tribunal so it can get to the Supreme Court. They were challenging nominations and not the elections.
ReplyDeleteUmpire, you are very correct!!!
ReplyDeleteMumu, now I know u have nothing upstairs. All your comments hence fourth will be ignored.
DeleteMy people every Pre- Election Case ends at the Supreme while Post election cases involving the Legislators from States and National Assembly ends at the Appeal Court. The Governorship an Presidential post election dispute ends at the Supreme Court.
ReplyDeleteYou are right sir.
DeleteAn animus@ 6.45, it has not gotten to the stage of insult, OK! Thanks
ReplyDelete