Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
The Abakaliki Division of the Federal High Court sitting on Wednesday, affirmed the former leader of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Honourable Joseph Nwobasi, as the authentic candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency in the 2023 general election.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Fatun Riman, the Court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept and publish the name of the Plaintiff, Mr Nwobasi as the candidate of APC for Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency.
The Court agreed with the plaintiff that Edwin Nwonu who is the incumbent member, representing the Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not a member of APGA and cannot substitute Mr Nwobasi as the candidate of APGA for the 2023 election.
The Court barred the leadership of APGA, Nwonu or their agents from further attempts to substitute the name of the plaintiff as the candidate of the party ahead of the 2023 general election.
Speaking with Journalists, shortly after the ruling, the Counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Festus Nweke, lauded the court for ensuring that justice was done in the matter.
Mr Nweke said the Judge granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff which he said, include that nobody should tamper with the plaintiff’s ticket which he duly won.
He said: “the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) conducted their primaries sometime in May 2022, the plaintiff in this matter won his primary undisputed, his name submitted to INEC undisputed and has filled and submitted INEC form as the candidate of the party for the position of the House of Representatives, Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency undisputed.
“However, as time went on, rumours started flying and people were like what’s the rumour that we are hearing? The candidate became jittery and decided to take steps because, in the field of politics, anything can happen; and the party was not forthcoming with the necessary explanations, even though they were telling him that nothing happened to his ticket.
“But because of the attitude of some Nigerian politicians, we didn’t stop there. We had to go to INEC and surprisingly, it was shown that some meddlesome interlopers who are members of a different political party, who didn’t participate in the APGA primaries and who said they are non-members of APGA are the ones who had gone surreptitiously to change the name of the plaintiff and substitute same with their own name and we were like how did it happen?
“We applied for the CTCs and INEC availed us with those CTCs, and if you look at the processes we filed in the Court, we have exhibit FS 12 and exhibit FS 13. Those are the documents they submitted at INEC, trying to deny the plaintiff his ticket.
“But the court today agreed that the plaintiff has rights and that nobody should trample upon his rights and that nobody should tamper with the ticket that he won. The court granted all the reliefs we sought.”
Also reacting to the judgment, the plaintiff, Mr Nwobasi, hailed the judgment, saying that the Court has proven that it is the last hope of the common man.
“The ruling has actually proven that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. Yes, I want to use this opportunity to thank the judiciary for this judgment.
The judgement is a round peg in a round hole, considering the fact that the person who was used to substitute my name was never a member of APGA and never defected to APGA or participated in the party’s primary election but they fraudulently forged my signature, wrote a withdrawal letter and substituted my name.
“But today, the Court has given a judgment that Anatex (referring to Edwin Nwonu) who is never a member of the party is not entitled to be a candidate of the party.
“I thank the almighty God for this victory and since this victory has started in the court today, I’m optimistic that I will also be victorious in the election,” Nwobasi said.
He thanked his supporters for their support since the tussle commenced and assured them that he would not relent until victory is achieved at the polls.
