A Federal High Court, sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, yesterday, disqualified Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Silas Onu, for Saturday’s by-election in Ebonyi South senatorial zone.
The court presided by H. A. Nganjiwa, held that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) gave less than 21 days’ notice for parties to conduct congresses for the by-election in line with the Electoral Act.
Ngajiwa ruled that the congresses of the PDP for the primary that produced Onu for the by-election felt short of the Electoral Act and thereby disqualified him for the election.
Reacting to the judgment, Onu described it as contrived, saying: “It is interesting that INEC in Abakaliki were the ones arguing about no issuance of 21 days’ notice to them. The REC, who is an active All Progressives Congress (APC) agent, deliberately refused to attend our activities even with notices given to them.
“They monitored our primary election and asserted so. Yet, Ngajiwa chose to ignore plethora of superior court decisions on internal party affairs, even the recent Supreme Court’s decision on Plateau State. He pretended not to know that this is a by-election and also that he doesn’t understand internal party affairs.
“The obvious design of the judgment given 2 days to election is to create confusion in the process and ensure our supporters are discouraged from voting – it is sad that a judge will make himself available for such a hatchet job.
“The conduct of the judge is beneath the hallowed chamber he sits in and a disgrace to the entire judicial community and legal profession.