September 03, (THEWILL) – The Abuja Court of Appeal has affirmed Valentine Ozigbo as the duly elected candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming November 6 governorship election in Anambra state.
The president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongba-Mensem, in a judgment on Friday, set aside the judgement of the Awka High Court delivered on July 19.
In a unanimous decision, the court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Ozigbo and his running mate as the duly nominated and elected candidates for the PDP for the November 6 gubernatorial election in Anambra state.
Having set aside the judgement of the lower court, the appellate court awarded N10million in favour of the appellant against the respondent.
The court advised INEC to not be quick to undermine the emergence of a candidate elected by a political party.
“We set aside the position of Justice Obiorah Nwabunike of Anambra State High Court Awka, delivered on July 19, which had dismissed Ozigbo as winner of the PDP primary,” the court held.
Justice Dongban-Mensem described Justice Nwabunike’s decision as “strange in law.”
“We hereby affirm that Valentine Ozigbo is the duly elected candidate for the appellant (PDP) for the forthcoming Anambra state governorship election slated for November 6, 2021,” Justice Dongban-Mensem declared.
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