Court reinstates Soludo as APGA candidate for Anambra polls

A federal high court sitting in Awka, the Anambra capital, on Monday affirmed former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Chukwuma Soludo as the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ahead of the governorship election in the state billed for November 6.

Soludo who belongs to the Victor Oye-led faction of APGA, the faction recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had secured 740 votes to defeat Ezenwankwo Christopher who polled 41 votes, while ThankGod Ibe had four votes, and Okolo Chibuzor got seven votes.

But in the list published on July 16, INEC picked Michael Umeoji, who emerged candidate of the Jude Okeke led faction, over Soludo as the APGA candidate, basing decision on a court order.

But delivering judgment on Monday, Chukwudi Okaa, presiding judge, said the other parties in the suit, comprising Jude Okeke, Edozie Njoku, and Chukwuma Umeoji, were “meddlesome interlopers”.

The judge, therefore, affirmed Oye as the national chairman of the party, and ordered INEC to recognise Soludo as the APGA governorship candidate for Anambra