The Federal High Court, Abuja, has declared George Ogara as the authentic
governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu
state.
Justice Inyang Ekwo on Tuesday ordered that Mr Ogara’s name be forwarded
to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the duly
nominated governorship candidate of the APC in Enugu state.
This, he said, was because Mr Ogara scored the highest votes cast in the
270 wards of the 17 local government areas of the state.
Mr Ogara had filed a suit against Ayogu Eze; the National Chairman of the
APC, Adams Oshiomhole; Moses Momoh and INEC before the court, challenging
Mr Eze’s emergence as the APC governorship candidate for the March 2,
elections.
Justice Ekwo, therefore, directed the INEC to recognise Mr Ogara as the
candidate of the APC for the purpose of 2019 governorship election in the
state.
He held that the direct primary election of the party that produced Mr
Ogara as the party’s governorship candidate was in compliance with the
party’s guidelines as well as the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).
The judge restrained INEC from accepting any other name than Mr Ogara’s,
for the purpose of the election in Enugu state.
“The plaintiff, having scored the highest number of votes cast by members
of the APC in Enugu state for the governorship direct primary election at
the 260 wards, is the nominated candidate of the APC,” the judge said.
Justice Ekwo held that Mr Oshiomhole, Mr Momoh and the APC’s refusal,
neglect and/or failure to forward Mr Ogara’s name to INEC as the candidate
of APC contravened the law.
He also held that the refusal of INEC to publish Mr Ogara’s name as the
candidate of APC for the governorship election was contrary to provisions
of Section 87 (3) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and Article 20 of
the APC Constitution.
In his reaction, Mr Eze vowed to reclaim his ticket.
Mr Eze made the vow in a statement issued by his campaign organisation’s
chief spokesperson, Okey Ezirigwe, in Enugu on Tuesday.
Mr Ezirigwe said that the movement towards President Buhari’s re-election
and the decisive victory in the governorship elections in Enugu State
remained `unwaveringly’ on course.