The Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital has sacked the majority leader of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon Victor Chukwu as the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate for Ezza North West State constituency in the 2023 general election.
The lawmaker who is seeking to return to the State House of Assembly was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before his defection to the APC, alongside other 14 members of the State House of Assembly.
It would be recalled that the assembly members were sacked by the Federal High Court Abakaliki following their defection but the lawmakers appealed the judgement and the Appeal Court is yet to deliver judgement on the matter several months after the sack.
The sack of the house leader bordered on pre-election matters and the authenticity of his membership of the APC in the state.
During the court proceedings, reliefs sought by Barr Leonard Igboke, in suit No. FHC/AI/CS/163/2022, (between Barr Leonard Nweke Igboke Vs Victor Uzoma Chukwu and 2 Others) were all granted.
Delivering judgement, Justice Riman Fatum held that going by the judgment delivered by Hon Justice H. A. Njoku of the Abakaliki High Court on May 24, 2022 (two days to the APC primary), Hon Victor Uzoma Chukwu purportedly became a member of APC on the same may 24 after the close of sale of nomination forms and screening of aspirants conducted by the APC in the state.
He further held that Barr Leonard Nweke Igboke was the qualified and duly nominated House of Assembly candidate of APC in Ezza North West State constituency of the state.
The court therefore ordered the third defendant in the suit (INEC) to delete the name and particulars of the first defendant, Hon Victor Uzoma Chukwu, from its portal and consequently accept and publish the name of Barr Leonard Nweke Igboke as the authentic APC candidate for Ezza North West Constituency.
