BEVERLY HILLS, CA, January 29, (THEWILL) – The suit challenging the legitimacy of the candidacy of the Anambra State governor-elect, Willie Obiano, in the last governorship election in the state, is to be heard on February 27.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja Wednesday fixed February 27 for the hearing of the case.
Obiano contested the November 16, 2013 governorship election as a candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Presiding judge of the court, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, chose the date for hearing after Obiano’s lawyer, Chief Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) argued that the suit filed last year was not ready for hearing.
The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Joe Kyari Gadzama (SAN), who led Olusola Oke, Abdulrasheed Ajana and Ifeanyi Nrialike, however disagreed with Ikpeazu.
Gadzama argued that the suit was ripe for hearing and urged the court to hear the originating summons with the defendants’ preliminary objection to allow for prompt disposal of the case.
The plaintiffs – Ugochukwu Ikegwuonu and Kenneth Moneke – are by the suit, seeking Obiano’s disqualification on the grounds that he possessed two voter cards, having allegedly engaged in double registration.
Joined as defendant with Obiano in the suit is INEC as the plaintiffs alleged that the voter card Obiano tendered before he was cleared to participate in the party’s screening exercise was not the same as the one he submitted to INEC.
They therefore raised three questions for the court’s determination and sought five reliefs, including an order disqualifying Obiano from contesting the election.
They also sought an order of mandatory injunction compelling INEC to strike out Obiano’s name from its record as a candidate in the election; declaration that Obiano was unqualified to contest the election on the grounds that he allegedly possessed more than one voter cards and for engaging in multiple registration.
Ikegwuonu and Moneke wanted the court to determine whether, by his alleged conduct, Obiano was qualified to contest the election by virtue of the provisions of Sections 12(2), 16(2)(3) and 31(5) of the Electoral Act.
In a supporting affidavit, Ikegwuonu said Obiano allegedly possessed two voter cards – the one he purportedly obtained in Lagos, which he tendered during his party’s screening exercise in August, and another one he claimed to have obtained in Otuocha, Anambra State, on September 3, 2013, which he allegedly presented to INEC.
He stated that the Voter’s Identification Number on the first card is 90F5815E7D3738200332, while the second one is marked 90F5B12B01296204172.
Ikegwuonu averred that Obiano’s claim to having a single voter card, as contained in the documents he submitted to INEC, was false.
He also queried the authenticity of the date contained on the birth certificate which Obiano tendered and which was issued by Awka South Local Government Area, Anambra State.
About the Author
