Ifeanyi Ubah has lost his seat as a Senator representing Anambra South in the National Assembly following a court ruling Friday.
An FCT High Court, Abuja, nullified his election on the ground that he forged the Secondary School Certificate he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest the February 23, 2019 senatorial election on the platform of Young Progressive Party (YPP).
Obinna Uzoh, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), had sued Ubah on the ground that the Senator presented a forged National Examination Council (NECO) secondary school certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which he presented to the electoral body to contest the Anambra South Senatorial Election.
Uzoh in his suit also argued that the YPP having not conducted the primary elections for its party for the Anambra South Senatorial election, should be disqualified.
In his judgment, Justice Bello Kawu declared that the 2nd defendant, Young Progressive Party, did not have the locus standi and should not have participated in the February general election for Anambra South Senatorial Zone for its inability to conduct a primary election.
He also declared that Uzoh is the actual winner of the election having become the second position in the general election, and having the 1st and 2nd defendants disqualified for non-compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).
Justice Kawu, therefore, ordered the 3rd defendant, INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to Uzoh, within 48 hours, as the duly elected Senator for Anambra South Senatorial District, being the candidate of the PDP and having scored the highest number of valid votes cast.
He also ordered the Senate President and the Clerk to the National Assembly to swear in Obinna Uzoh as the Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Anambra South Senatorial District within 48 hours.
It will be recalled that the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, had earlier declared Obinna Uzoh as the authentic candidate of the PDP in Anambra South Senatorial District.
In a suit filed by Uzoh, he requested the court to declare him winner having scored the highest number of votes during the Anambra South Senatorial Primary Election of PDP.
He urged the court to nullify the victory of Chief Christian Chukwunedum Ubah, claiming irregularities in the electoral process.
In his Judgement, Justice O. A Musa of the High Court, Abuja, declared that the YPP, violated, breached and refused to comply with the extant provisions of sections 2 and 50(1) of the party’s constitution as amended in 2017.
He declared that Uzoh scored the highest number of vaild votes cast at the PDP primary election held for Anambra South Senatorial District on 2nd October, 2018 concluded at the PDP Headquarters Wadata Plaza Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
Ubah made history during the general elections by contesting on a relatively unknown party, YPP to sack an incumbent senator, Sen. Andy Uba of APC, who also doubled as the state chairman of President Buhari campaign council in Anambra.
The Capital Oil boss, who polled 87,081 votes defeated the candidates of PDP, the All Progressives Congress, APC, All Progressive Grand Alliance, Chiefs Chris Ubah, Andy Ubah, Nicholas Ukachukwu, who polled 52,462, 13,245 and 51,269 votes, respectively.
Ubah left APGA for YPP after the leaders of the former disqualified him for the primary election of the party to pave way for the wife of the late leader of the party, Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, who also showed interest in the seat.
