By Lawrence Njoku (Enugu) Uzoma Nzeagwu, Osiberoha Osibe (Awka) and John Akubo (Abuja)

Why I decided not to run for governorship, by Chidoka

A Federal High Court in Awka, presided over by Justice Peter Okaa, yesterday, reaffirmed former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo as candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the November 6, 2021 Anambra State governorship election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Friday listed Chukwuma Umeoji who emerged from the Jude Okeke-led faction as APGA’s candidate of APGA, instead of Soludo, who emerged from the Victor Oye leadership of the party, siting a court order.

But in a suit filed by Soludo and APGA, Justice Okaa nullified Umeoji’s candidature and revalidated that of Soludo, even as he described other parties in the suit, which included Jude Okeke, Edozie Njoku and Chukwuma Umeoji as “meddlesome interlopers.”

He, therefore, ordered the INEC to publish Soludo’s name immediately and deal with him as APGA’s exclusive candidate and directed INEC to remove Umeoji name as candidate of APGA, just as he urged him (Umeoji) to stop parading himself as the party’s candidate.

The Court also reaffirmed Victor Ike Oye as the national chairman of the APGA and ordered Njoku and Okeke to stop parading themselves as national chairmen of APGA.

Following the development, Governor Willie Obiano said yesterday he was committed to ensuring that Soludo emerges victorious in the November election.

However, a Federal High Court in Awka, yesterday, ordered INEC to publish the name of Valentine Ozigbo as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for governorship election.

National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus had presented Ozigbo his certificate of return on June 30, after he the National Working Committee certified him winner of the primary election.

Also, a High Court in Awka presided over by Justice Obiora Nwabunike ordered INEC to recognise and list Ugochukwu Uba as PDP’s candidate for the November 6 governorship election.

He gave the ruling in the suit between Uba as plaintiff and INEC, PDP and Ozigbo as defendants and awarded damages of N10 million against the defendant in favour of the plaintiff as cost of litigation.

In a suit no A/230/2021, Uba had prayed the court to determine if the primary election conducted by the National Executive of PDP on June 26 was done in accordance with the law.

MEANWHILE, former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka has disclosed that he declined to contest the governorship election to respect the zoning arrangement in the state.

Chidoka, who is also former Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps, spoke in Abuja while marking his 50th Birthday with 50, 000 steps in a keep fit jogging exercise in Abuja.

He contested the governorship of Anambra State in 2017 under the United Progressive Party (UPP), but lost to Willie Obiano of APGA.