A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delete the name of Uche Nwosu as governorship candidate in the last election held in Imo State, Igbere TV reports.
Igbere TV reports that Nwosu, son-in-law to former governor Rochas Okorocha, was the candidate of Action Alliance (AA) in the Imo State 2019 governorship election.
Presiding judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, on Tuesday, voided Nwosu’s candidacy on the grounds of double nomination by two political parties, AA and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The court said that the double nomination (of Nwosu) by both parties, was in violation of section 37 of the Electoral Act.
The court ruled that Nwosu was a candidate of both APC and AA, that after the primaries, he obtained a court order, recognising him as APC candidate for the guber poll.
The court said that the judgement (issued by Abuja High Court) was still subsisting having not been vacated by a higher court when Nwosu emerged the candidate of AA in the same election.
Justice Ekwo noted that Nwosu participated in the APC’s primaries held on October 6, 2018 and was subsequently nominated as the party’s governorshndidate. And on on Oct. 9, 2018, he obtained an order of the FCT High Court, recognising him as the valid candidate of the party.
In the midst of this, Uche Nwosu was also offered the governorship ticket of the AA.
The judge ruled that it was illegal in the eyes of the law, for Uche Nwosu to have allowed himself to be nominated by both the APC and AA.
“It is hereby declared that the nomination of Uche Nwosu by APC and AA is invalid, null and void and constitute violation of section 37 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended)”, Justice Ekwo ruled.
