- RAP withdrew the suit to pave way for similar matter at the Supreme Court
Reasons surfaced Monday night why the governorship candidate of the Reform Advancement Party, RAP, Barr. Kingdom Okere, withdrew the suit seeking judicial interpretation on the nomination of Senator Hope Uzodinma, as governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC.
Okere had argued that Uzodinma has no business being candidate of the APC, since the Supreme Court had nullified the candidature of Uche Nwosu on the grounds that he was dual governorship candidate of the APC and the Action Alliance, AA.
Okere suddenly withdrew the matter a day the Federal High Court, Abuja was to continue hearing on it, a move which sent shock waves in the political landscape in the State.
INNONEWS however gathered that the RAP governorship candidate may have withdrawn the matter, on the basis that there is another suit, similar in coloration, outlook and posture at the Supreme Court.
The suit was filed by the All Peoples Party, APP in which the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is an interested party.
The suit is seeking the enforcement of an earlier judgement of the Supreme Court, which was secured by the APP which declared that Uche Nwosu had dual candidature having emerged candidate of the Action Alliance, AA and the All Progressive Congress, APC.
The action,according to the APP, contravenes the provisions of the Electoral Act, thus it is assumed that the two political parties, AA and APC, had no governorship candidates in the 2019 election.
Legal analysts contend that RAP may have withdrawn the matter at the Federal High Court, Abuja since it is the same prayer the APP is putting up at the Supreme Court.
The PDP, which is a joiner in the matter, is said to be harping on the Supreme Court judgement which disqualified Uche Nwosu for dual candidacy.
A top official of the party who spoke on condition of anonymity said “considering these facts, the APC on which platform Governor Hope Uzodinma emerged, did not have a candidate, thus the candidate of the PDP which came second should be declared lawful winner of the governorship election.
Phillip Umeadi (SAN), a former INEC Commissioner and counsel to PDP, had approached the Supreme Court to enforce it’s judgement which disqualified Uche Nwosu on grounds of dual candidacy.
Lawyers to Uzodinma claim the matter has become “functus officio”
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