A Federal High Court sitting in Awka State, the Anambra capital, has affirmed Charles Soludo, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ahead of the governorship election in the state.
Recall that Soludo, who belongs to the Victor Oye-led faction of APGA had secured 740 votes to defeat Ezenwankwo Christopher, who polled 41 votes, while ThankGod Ibe had four votes, and Okolo Chibuzor got seven votes.
However, a list published on July 16, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) picked Michael Umeoji over Soludo as the standard-bearer for APGA.
INEC said it based its decision on a court orders.
Festus Okoye, INEC’s commissioner for Information and Voter education, revealed that Musa Ubale, judge of a high court in Jigawa State, had passed judgment in suit JDU/022/21, upholding the suspension of Victor Oye and affirming Jude Okeke as the party’s national chairman on June 30, 2021.
Following the development, Chukwudi Okaa, presiding judge, while delivering judgment on the case on Monday held the other parties in the suit, comprising Jude Okeke, Edozie Njoku, and Chukwuma Umeoji, were “meddlesome interlopers”.
The judge, therefore, affirmed Oye as the national chairman of the party, and ordered INEC to recognise Soludo as the APGA governorship candidate for Anambra.
