Umahi in the lurch after court disqualifies governor from 2023 elections

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.

READ ALSO: Umahi accuses South-East delegates to APC primary of trading votes

Umahi had in the application challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) decision to omit him from the list of candidates cleared for the 2023 election.

Ms. Ann Agom-Eze, who finished second in the primary that produced the younger Umahi,  also submitted an application to be joined in the suit.

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.

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

 

 

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