From Ifeoma Ejiofor
The Federal High Court 1, Awka presided over by Hon Justice H. A. Nganjiwa this afternoon disqualified Chief Victor Umeh from contesting in the fast approaching Feb 25,2023 Senatorial election for Anambra Central.
The court, in a 3- hour judgment which was described by legal practitioners as “erudite”, disqualified Umeh on the grounds of non compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act as it concern the membership status of one to contest a party primary.
The court noted that there was no evidence that the resignation letter by Chief Umeh to the leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA) was actually received by the party. Hence his name was still in the register of members of APGA as at Sept 30, 2022 when he was said to have contested the party’s primary. And that his(Umeh’s) name was not in the register of members of Labour party as at June 3,2022, date of primary of LP.
The court therefore declared as null and void the publication of Umeh’s name as a candidate earlier by the Independent National Electoral Commission, as he failed to comply with the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the LP constitution.
The court therefore declared the publication as null and void and of no effect.
Court also issued an injunction restraining Umeh from parading himself as Senatorial candidate of LP. The injunction also prevented the LP from accepting or presenting Umeh as her candidate.