An Imo State High Court, presided
over by Hon. Justice Kemakolam A. Ojiako, Wednesday, upheld the prayers of the
Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, and quashed the purported gubernatorial
primary allegedly held on October 6, 2018, by the Governor Rochas Okorocha
faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state. This development
came as the Governor, his son in-law, Mr. Uche Nwosu and their supporters
continue to sulk over the political humiliation they suffered in the hands of
the APC Coalition Force, during the October 1, 2018, gubernatorial primary.
Okorocha and Madumere Justice Ojiako
granted all the prayers sought by Prince Madumere, including the prayer that
the October 1, 2018, APC primary election was credible, relevant and meets the
parameters for the exercise. Madumere also urged the court to hold that the
contestants, except the Governor’s son in-law, have since, accepted that the
October 1, 2018, party primary, was the only relevant and valid primary
electioneering process, through which Senator Hope Uzodinma emerged winner.
Justice Ojiako equally upheld that
the judgement was based on the subsisting Order of the Court, granted by Abuja
High Court, restraining the party from conducting any fresh primary elections
until the determination of the matter before it over October 1, 2018 primary election.
He therefore ruled that the defiance of the Agbakabia-led committee was only an
effort in futility, if not an affront to the extant laws guiding court
processes.
Speaking to Vanguard on phone, the
Deputy Governor said “with today’s (yesterday) judgment, the foundation upon
which Mr. Nwosu is defiantly parading himself as the governorship candidate of
APC, Imo State, has been quashed”. Continuing, Madumere further opined that ”
this has laid to rest, all Okorocha and son-in-law’s claims over who the standard
bearer of the party is”. Vanguard recalls that since the emergence of Senator
Hope Uzodinma as the standard bearer of All Progressives Congress, Governor
Okorocha and his heir apparent son-in-law, Mr. Nwosu have been claiming victory
and going about calling the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole
names, as well as accusing him of compromising the process to favour Senator
Hope Uzodinma. Meanwhile, Comrade Oshiomole had accused Governor Okorocha of
wanting him to compromise the primary election process in Imo so as to help him
build a family political dynasty.
Credits: Vanguard
Credits: Vanguard