By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
The Supreme Court has dismissed two appeals filed by Senator Godwin Ifeanyi Ararume, in which he sought among others, court order to declare him as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the last by-election for Imo North Senatorial District of Imo State.
A five-man panel of the court, led by Justice Amina Augie, in two judgments, affirmed the judgments of the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division, which voided the proceedings and decisions in the suit filed by Uchenna Ubah before the Federal High Court in Owerri for lacking in merit.
The court said the judgments should be applied to the cross-appeal, filed by Edith Uwajimogu, in which she sought to have Ararume declared as the candidate of the APC.
After the APC’s primary election, preparatory to the December 5, 2020 by-election, Ubah approached the court, asking to among others, compel the APC to submit the name of Chukwuma Frank Ibezim to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its candidate for the election.
In a judgment, the Federal High Court rejected her prayers on the grounds that Ubah lacked the locus standi to have filed the suit.
The court proceeded to disqualify Ibezim as the party’s candidate and ordered INEC to accept Ararume as APC’s candidate for the by-election.
Both Ubah and Ibezim appealed the judgment at the Court of Appeal, Owerri.
In its judgments in both appeals, the Court of Appeal, Owerri agreed that Ubah lacked the locus standi and also held that Ibezim’s right to fair hearing was breached.
It proceeded to set aside all the orders disqualifying Ibezim and another one directing INEC to accept Ararume as the candidate of the APC and Ararume approached the Supreme Court which has now ended his dream of returning to the Red Chambers in Abuja anytime soon.
