- Restrains PDP, INEC From Conducting Exercise
Court of Appeal siting in Owerri, the Imo state capital has stopped and voided the primary re-run for the Aboh Mbaise and Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency election pending the hearing and final determination of the appeal before the Supreme Court.
It can be recalled that Dr Uzoma Iheanyi Ugochukwu in an Appeal No: CA/OW/493/2022 asked the court to grant an order staying the execution of its judgement delivered on the 20th January, 2023 only as regards the Order for a fresh Primary election for Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency of Imo state pending the hearing and final determination of his Appeal before the Supreme Court on the propriety of the said Order of the fresh Primary.
Dr Ugochukwu also prayed the court for an Order restraining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Hon Bede Eke, as first, second and third Respondents respectively from enforcing in anyway whatsoever the judgement of the court delivered on 20th January, 2023 by way of conducting a rerun primary election for the Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency.
After hearing the plea of the Applicant, Dr Ugochukwu, the court presided by Hon Justice Rita Nosakhare Pemu ruled that the Order of the Court of Appeal delivered on 20th January, 2023 ordering for fresh rerun primary election for Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency of the state will never be executed pending the hearing and final determination of the Applicant’s appeal before the Supreme Court on the propriety of the said order of fresh primary be stayed.
According to Hon Justice Rita Nosakhare Pemu, both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are restrained from enforcing in anyway whatsoever the judgement of the court delivered on 20th January, 2023 by way of conducting fresh primary election for the said federal constituency.
Reacting to the court Order, a PDP leader in Aboh Mbaise local government, Barr Chibuzor Aguwa expressed happiness that all efforts by a desperate Governorship aspirant in Imo state to undermine Justice was resisted by the Judiciary.
While describing the court Order as a reprieve for their members, also advised politicians to allow the decision of the masses to prevail in any election instead of imposing unpopular individuals on them.