Anambra: S’Court stops PDP candidate’s campaign

Vice-President Namadi Sambo

The Supreme Court on Thursday restrained the Peoples Democratic Party from starting Tony Nwoye’s campaign for the Anambra State governorship election.

The apex court gave the order in a ruling after an extended hearing, which lasted beyond 6pm.

PDP was ordered to refrain from going ahead with the Nwoye’s campaign pending the determination of an appeal filed by a rival gubernatorial candidate, Nicholas Ukachukwu.

Ukachukwu’s appeal is to be heard on November 4.

As a result of the development, it is expected that the campaign would no longer start on Saturday (tomorrow).

Vice President Namadi Sambo is slated to lead the campaign.

Counsel for the respondents in the matter gave assurances that their clients would abide by the apex court ruling.

Ukachukwu’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu, SAN, had expressed concern that PDP was planning to commence campaign and hand over the party’s flag to Nwoye as its candidate.

Earlier, the apex court had dismissed an application by another claimant to the party’s ticket, Ubah, to be joined in the appeal brought by Ukachukwu.

The panel of Justices of the Supreme Court held that since Ubah already had an appeal pending before the court, his application amounted to an abuse of court process.

It will be recalled that a Port Harcourt Federal High Court had initially declared Ukachukwu as the candidate of the PDP, after which the Court of Appeal overturned the decision, and instead upheld Nwoye as the party’s authentic candidate.

As a result of the development, Ukachukwu headed for the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of the appellate court.