BY LEVI JOHNSON
The Independent National Electoral Commission has explained why it excluded the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate, Professor Chukwuma Soludo from the Anambra State gubernatorial election slated for November 2021.
In a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman (Information and Voter Education Committee), Festus Okoye, said a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja had on Thursday ordered INEC to suspend the moves to publish any name from the PDP as the governorship candidate.
Okoye explained that while the Victor Oye-led faction conducted the primaries that produced a former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Charles Soludo, the Jude Okeke faction conducted the primary poll that declared Umeoji as the party’s candidate.
Delivering his ruling on an ex parte application filed by one of the aspirants laying claim to the PDP’s ticket, Justice Yusuf Halilu, directed INEC to maintain the status quo by not publishing any name as the party’s candidate in deference to ongoing proceedings.
The enrolled order of the court to INEC read in part.“Order that all parties to this suit be put on notice, and I also further order that status quo shall be maintained by INEC by not publishing the name of any candidate as the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
