6th July, 2012
Nnamdi Felix / Abuja
Lady Margaret Okadigbo, wife of late former Senate President, Chuba Okadigbo, has been declared by the Supreme Court as the validly nominated candidate of Peoples Democratic Party for the Anambra North senatorial district and winner of the election conducted for the district by the Independent National Election Commission during the 2011 general elections.The senatorial district had not had any form of representation at the upper legislative arm of the National Assembly owing to the series of controversies that trailed the conduct of primary election for the selection of the party’s candidate by various factions of the highly fractured party in the state.The apex court panel led by Justice Chukwuma Eneh held that John Emeka that Lady Margaret Okadigbo emerged winner of the primaries conducted by the legally recorgnised faction of the party. The court also held that the appellant, Mr. John Emeka who brought the suit before it does not have the locus to have instituted the appeal challenging the Court of Appeal’s decision which returned Lady Okadigbo since he did not participate in the primary.However the apex court decline to order for the swearing of Lady Okadigbo on the grounds that it was not part of the reliefs sought by Lady Okadigbo. But advised her lawyers to file further processes to obtain such an order.Attempts by Adolphos Igbeke’s lawyers to raise the interest of Igbeke in the matter in view of another sister case relating to the senatorial district drew blank as the court held that the issue before it for today is the one they have decided and that Igbeke cannot be linked to a decision of the Court of Appeal which he is not challenging. He is also contending for the slotThis decision seemingly brings to an end the intensive and multiple court actions instituted by both Hon John Emeka and senator Adolphus Igbeke who have been battling for the senatorial position.Similarly, Chief Solomon Ewuga, former Minister of State for FCT and ex Deputy Governor of Nassarawa state was also declared winner of the Nassarawa North senatorial election which slot is currently occupied by his fellow Congress for Progressive Change member.