17th September, 2013
A Nigerian Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Tuesday, disqualified Tony Nwoye, as the PDP governorship candidate for Anambra election slated for 16 November.
The court gave the order in a judgment following a suit filed by Nicholas Ukachukwu, one of the aspirants in the 24 August governorship primaries.
Justice Suleiman Aliyu, said that Nwoye was not eligible to participate in the 16 November governorship poll on grounds of irregularity in his tax payment as prescribed in the electoral guideline on the PDP primaries.
He said that Ukachukwu, who came second in the party’s primaries in Anambra state, was its duly nominated candidate to contest the Nov.16 governorship election.
Justice Aliyu also restrained Nwoye from parading himself as the party’s candidate for the governorship election in Anambra state.
He restrained the PDP National Working Committee and INEC from recognising Nwoye as the party’s candidate in Anambra state.
The judge ordered INEC to recognise and screen Ukachukwu as the rightful candidate of the PDP for the Anambra state governorship election.
Justice Aliyu also ordered INEC to publish Ukachukwu’s name as the PDP candidate for the Nov. 16 poll in Anambra state.
Senator Andy Uba, who emerged in another primary witnessed by INEC, also lays claim to being the rightful candidate of the party in the state. Several court rulings have ordered the PDP to recognise him as the candidate.