2023: Umahi admits buying two nomination forms, explains why court disqualified him

The governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, has explained how he came about two nomination forms of the All Progressives Party (APC).

He stated that he did not purchase and submit two APC nomination and expression of interest forms at the same time.

Umahi made this clarification, on Monday, in response to the controversy surrounding his senatorial bid after his defeat in the party’s presidential primary contest in May.

Justice Fatun Riman of the Federal High Court, Abakaliki, on Friday disqualified the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, from vying for the Ebonyi South senatorial seat on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general elections.

The judge, who gave the order while ruling on an application filed by the governor, also barred his younger brother, Austin Umahi, from taking part in the election.

The governor’s brother withdrew from the race after securing the APC ticket for the senatorial district.

Justice Riman, who cited Section 115 of the Electoral Act, held that a person was not permitted to run in two primary elections in the same year.

Read also:Umahi in the lurch after court disqualifies governor from 2023 elections

He declared Agom-Eze as the APC candidate in Ebonyi South senatorial district for next year’s elections.

In his clarification during a Monday appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Umahi said, “The business of a political party is the business of a political party; you can have 20 or 30 forms.

“When the primary had ended, the matter was closed. I now came on June 9 and bought a form to contest (the senatorial ticket); I was never holding two forms of a political party at the same time.”

Regarding controversy that the Electoral Act does not allow for the purchase of such forms at the same time, he stressed that the presidential primary had concluded way before he joined the senatorial race.

“The APC presidential election ended on May 7 and by then, there were no more aspirants,” the governor said. “The time to appeal the decision of that convention had passed and so, the presidential (primary) election had been concluded.

“30 days (later), the candidate of the party withdrew … I bought my form on June 9; so, there was no time I had two forms at the same time,” Umahi explained.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now