By Felix Izu, Enugu
The embattled Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party in Enugu State, Hon. Chijioke Edeoga stands to be disqualified over an alleged double nominations charges brought against him by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The APC has in a Suit No. FHC/EN/CS/18/2023, All Progressives Congress vs. 4 others, including Chijioke Jonathan Edeoga, asked the Federal High Court Enugu to determine whether by the interpretation of the express provision of Section 35 of the Electoral Act 2022, the acts of Mr. Edeoga in allowing himself to be nominated by two different political parties is illegal and a violation of the Electoral Act, 2022.
And whether by the express provision of the same section of the Act, the Labour Party’s nomination of Mr. Edeoga after he had presented himself for nomination in People’s Democratic Party, is illegal and a violation of the Act.
The APC prayed the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission to exclude the name of Mr. Edeoga as a candidate in the Governorship election in Enugu State fixed for 11th March, 2023.
Recall that Mr. Chijioke Jonathan Edeoga was nominated among 16 others in the controversial PDP primaries won by Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah. He later left PDP after losing for renomination in the Labour Party. Other nominees in the PDP primaries were Senator Gil Nnaji, Erasmus Anike, Dr. Kingsley Udeh and others.
Mr. Edeoga is also facing serious legal battles within the Labour Party over who is the rightful governorship candidate. Everest Nnaji had gone to court to challenge the listing of Chijioke Edeoga as the candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission. The matter is currently in the Supreme Court and the apex court has fixed 27th of February, 2023 for hearing of the appeal filed by Mr. Nnaji after his High Court favoured judgement was earlier nullified by an Appeal Court.
- ALOR-AGU ROYAL RUMBLE, 2025.
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