Supreme Court Declares Odii As PDP Candidate For Ebonyi Guber Poll
The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, declared Chukwuma Ifeanyi Odii as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ebonyi state.
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-man panel of justices, vacated the judgement of the Court of Appeal that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognize Senator Joseph Obinna Ogba as flag-bearer of the party for the 2023 gubernatorial contest in the state.
The panel which was headed by Justice Amina Augie, held that the appeal marked SC/CV/ 939/2022, which Odii lodged before the apex court, was meritorious and deserved to succeed.
It held that the appellate court was without jurisdiction when it heard and determined Ogba’s appeal.
In the lead judgement that was read by Justice Lawal Garba, the Supreme Court held that Ogba, as a person having interest in a pre-election matter, but who was not made a party to the proceedings, he ought to have obtained leave of the trial court to appeal as an interested party.
It held that his failure to obtain leave before appealing the Federal High Court judgement that was in favour of Odii, rendered his appeal incompetent and robbed the appellate court of the jurisdiction to hear his case.
It held that Ogba’s purported notice of appeal, filed on June 17, was therefore incompetent in law.
Consequently, the apex court reinstated the decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja that recognised Odii’s candidacy.
“The judgment of the trial court is restored. The primary election of the PDP is valid and the appellant is declared candidate of the PDP “, the apex court held.
Meanwhile, in his reaction shortly after the judgement was delivered, Odii, lauded the judiciary, even as he urged all aggrieved members of the party to close ranks to ensure victory for the party in the governoship election.
“In this case, there is no victor and no vanquished. What happened at the Supreme Court is to further strengthen the party.
“Before now, there was a sort of faction in the party, but today it has been resolved.
“I have even started reaching out to some of my colleagues that were aggreived. Ebonyi has always been a PDP state and by God’s grace we are going to take over the state in 2023.
“This is victory for Ebonyi people. PDP will come out as one family. We have been winning elections and we will continue to win”, Odii added.
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