Adewale Ajayi,
The Supreme Court has affirmed Governor Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as duly elected Governor of Ebonyi State in the 18th March Governorship poll.
The apex court also re-affirmed Governor Alex Chioma Otti of Labour Party (LP) as duly elected and returned as Governor of Abia State in the 18th March Governorship poll.
The tribunal and Appeal Court had earlier dismissed both petitions and affirmed INEC’s declaration of the LP Candidate as valid.
The Supreme Court insisted that membership and nomination of candidates are within the internal affairs of a political party, the Apex Court held.
On Nwifuru the tribunal and Appeal Court had earlier dismissed the petitions and affirmed INEC’s declaration of the APC Candidate.
Justice Tijani Abubakar JSC who read the lead judgment held that the appeal filed by Chukwuma Odii of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is unmeritorious.
The court noted that a petition alleging non-qualification must be brought on grounds of section 177 of the Constitution.
When a candidate is sponsored by his party, he is qualified to contest an election.The apex court ruled.