The controversy trailing the nomination of a former
governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof
Charles Soludo, as the flag bearer of the All Progressive
Grand Alliance (APGA), for the November 6 governorship
election in Anambra State, has resulted into a lawsuit filed
before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.
In the originating summons, a chieftain of the party, Okoye
Nwabuogo, is seeking an order of court setting aside the
election and nomination of Soludo as the party’s
candidate for the November election.
The suit dated July 6, 2021, and filed the same day by
counsel to the plaintiff, Okoro Nkemakolam, is further
seeking an order restraining Soludu from parading himself
as the validly or duly elected candidate of the party for the
said election.
It is the case of the plaintiff, who is a card-carrying
member of the party and a registered voter, that the
statutory 21 days notice was not given to INEC by the
party, prior to the holding of the special ward congress,
held on June 15, 2021, for the election of ad hoc delegates
for the nomination of the party’s governorship candidate
for the Anambra State gubernatorial election scheduled to
hold on November 6. 2021.
Listed as defendants in the pre-election suit are All
Progressive Grand Alliance, Prof Charles Soludo and the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
While urging the court to invalidate and set aside the
entire primary election of the party held on June 23, the
plaintiff is equally seeking an order of injunction
restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC, listed as 3rd defendant), from accepting the name
of or recognising Prof Soludo (the 2nd Defendant), as the
candidate of APGA (the 1st defendant), for the Anambra
State gubernatorial general election scheduled to hold on
November 6, 2021.
She is also seeking an order of the court restraining the
party from holding out or in any manner howsoever and/or
according to Soludo the rights or privileges as its validly or
duly elected candidate for the November 6, 2021
governorship election in the state.
In addition, she is further seeking a declaration that the
party, is mandatorily required, given the provision of
Section 85(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) to
give to the 3rd defendant (INEC), the compulsory 21days
statutory notice prior to the holding of the special ward
congress, held on June 15, 2021, for the election of ad hoc
delegates for the nomination of its governorship candidate
for the Anambra State gubernatorial election scheduled to
hold on November 6.
A declaration that the election of 812 delegates as against
the 978 delegates, as provided for in Article 11(5)(vii) of
the APGA Constitution 2019, to be ad hoc delegates, to
elect the governorship candidate of the party, is illegal,
unlawful, invalid, null and void.
