The Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State, has declared Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere as the validly nominated candidate of the People Democratic Party(PDP) for the Ideato North and South Federal Constituency election in 2023.
In a suit challenging his declaration as the winner of the primary election, his challenger, George Igbo, had approached the court claiming that the election Ikenga won was held at the Aladimma Mall in Owerri outside the Federal Constituency while he emerged from another purported primary election held at the Urualla Town Hall in the Federal Constituency.
After hearing both parties, Hon. Justice Mabel T. Segun-Bello held that the election venue having been applied for by the PDP to hold in Owerri due to the known security reasons in Imo State and the venue having been approved by the Electoral Commission, the venue remained valid.
The Court also found that there could not have been another primary election held in Ideato since video evidence shown in the Court proved that the officials who purportedly conducted the alleged Ideato primary election in Urualla Town Hall were at the Owerri venue.
The court held they’re the same persons and could not have been at two different venues at the same time.
The Court further found that while Ikenga and PDP brought forward massive affidavit evidence deposed to by the delegates to show that they all participated in the Owerri primary election exercise, Mr. Igbo did not bring any evidence to show the delegates that participated in his purported primary election.
This judicial victory also has rendered the suit filed by the APC against Ikenga on the same issue of the venue of the primary as a mere academic exercise as courts of coordinate jurisdiction cannot overrule one another.
Meanwhile, Akokwa youths have started plans for a grand reception for Ikenga following his unbroken winning streak since this election started .They said this was the fifth victory he has recorded in downing his adversaries.
The judicial victories include his victory over his purported disqualification, victory over the attempt to tamper with the delegates list, landslide victory at the primary election, victory over the attempt to swap his name with the name of another person after the election and this one over the challenge on the venue of the election.
The Akokwa youths wondered why the APC would be interested in nullifying only the election of Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere when the entire legislative primary elections of Imo State held at the same venue and at the same time.
Speaking to journalists at the end of the landmark judgment, the candidate, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, said that the judgment was a victory for democracy and rule of law and an end to impunity and arbitrary use of power.
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