Member representing Ehime Mbano/ Obowo/ Ihitte Uboma Federal Constituency of Imo State, Rep. Chike Okafor has described media reports of his removal as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as misleading.
Speaking through his lawyers of the OZIGOD Chambers, Lokogoma Abuja, Okafor who is the chairman House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services, further described the report as erroneous, saying, he was not listed as a party in the case ruled on by Hon. Justice Kawu Bello of the FCT High Court Kubwa.
According to a statement signed Deputy Head of OZIGOD Chambers, Mr. Munachimso Okere, the lawmaker remains the APC candidate for the Saturday’s election. This is even as he stressed that Okafor didn’t participate in the primary based on which the aspirant, Maryann Chioma Uzoma dragged another aspirant, Mr. Emeka Nwajuiba to court.
Read the full statement bellow:
We hereby categorically state that our client was not barred from contesting the rescheduled House of Representatives election for Ehime Mbano/ Obowo/ Ihitte Uboma Federal Constituency of Imo State, this Saturday the 23rd of February in any way by the ruling of Hon Justice Kawu Bello of the FCT High Court Kubwa in the case between Maryann Chioma Uzoma against All progressive Congress, Emeka Nwajiuba and INEC.
A copious look at the copy of the ruling clearly shows as follows:
1.That Hon. Chike Okafor is not listed in this suit as a party and it’s trite law that judgments are only binding against parties.
2.That the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), by this ruling was specifically barred from recognizing or listing the name of the 2nd respondent Emeka Nwajiuba as the candidate of APC in this election and didn’t bar INEC from accepting another name as candidate of APC for this election.
3.It is important to note that the primaries in issue in this case seems to be the one conducted by the defunct Imo APC coalition splinter group which was not the INEC recognized APC primaries for Ehime Mbano/ Obowo/ Ihitte Uboma Federal Constituency of Imo State and so is of no moment cause a court cannot legalize an illegality.
- It is important to note that the primaries contested and won by Hon. Okafor is not in issue in this matter and so still stands unchallenged.
- This ruling has been overtaking by events cause the named person it is against Emeka Nwajiuba has since left APC to Accord Party and therefore INEC has nothing to enforce.
Consequently it’s important to state that our client is on the ballot for Saturday’s election and we hereby call on the general public and the good people of Ehime Mbano/ Obowo/ Ihitte Uboma Federal Constituency of Imo State to disregard the rumor being circulated by desperate political opponents against Hon Okafor’s candidacy, INEC has still listed him as a bona-fide candidate for Saturday’s election.
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