By Vincent Ujumadu
AWKA — A Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, has affirmed the nomination of Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu as the authentic governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November 8 election in the state.
The judgement was delivered on Wednesday by Justice Evelyn Anyadike in a suit filed by a fellow APC aspirant, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, who challenged Ukachukwu’s emergence, alleging irregularities during the party’s April 5 primary.
Justice Anyadike, however, ruled that Ozigbo failed to provide incontrovertible evidence that Ukachukwu was ineligible to participate in the primary election, and added that the court lacked jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of a political party in the absence of clear constitutional breaches.
“The court cannot interfere in the internal matters of a political party where the plaintiff has not provided incontrovertible proof of the date of membership, nor shown that the party acted outside its constitutional powers,” the judge said.
While the court acknowledged discrepancies in Ukachukwu’s membership documents, it held that such matters fall within the purview of the party’s internal processes.
Reacting to the verdict, Ozigbo, a former PDP governorship candidate and now APC aspirant, expressed disappointment but vowed to continue seeking justice.
“We are consulting with our lawyers and will decide on our next steps. I did not fight this case for myself; I fought to protect the soul of our democracy. That fight is far from over,” Ozigbo said.
He maintained that the case was rooted in principle and alleged that Ukachukwu’s membership registration had been backdated to beat eligibility deadlines — a claim the court found insufficiently substantiated.
Counsel to the APC, Shedrak Ayo, applauded the ruling, arguing that Ozigbo’s claims did not meet the threshold set by the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
“The plaintiff’s complaint fell short of the clear provisions of Sections 285(14a) and 84(14) of the Electoral Act. The entire suit did not raise valid questions of law,” Ayo said.
In his reaction, Joseph Mola Mathew, who represented Ukachukwu’s legal team, echoed the position that questions of membership are strictly internal to political parties.
“It is settled law that no one has jurisdiction to challenge the membership status of a candidate once the party’s National Working Committee has cleared the person,” he said.
Meanwhile, supporters of Prince Ukachukwu have welcomed the ruling with celebration across the state. National Convener of the Anambra Equity Movement (ANEM), Hon. Tony Ezekwelu, urged unity within the APC, calling on party members to close ranks.
“Now is the time to come together as one APC family and focus on winning the governorship election,” he said.
Ukachukwu, who had continued grassroots consultations during the legal battle, is expected to commence full-scale campaign activities in August.
The post Anambra: Court affirms Ukachukwu as APC candidate, Ozigbo vows to continue legal battle appeared first on Vanguard News.
