APPEAL COURT AUTHENTICATES DR NKWEGU AS LP GUBER CANDIDATE IN EBONYI

REPORTER: AMECHI ODO

The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu has affirmed Dr. Edward Nkwegu as the authentic gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Ebonyi State.

Dr. Nkwegu had gone to the Appeal Court to challenge the judgment of the Federal High Court Abakaliki, which invalidated his nomination following a suit filed by the former Caretaker Chairman of the Party, Mr. Splendor Eze.

In a Judgment delivered by Justice Joseph Ekanem, the Court set aside the judgment of the lower Court, which had earlier declared the Labour Party substitution primaries that produced Dr. Nkwegu a nullity, maintaining that the Abakaliki Federal High did not give the Appellant a fair hearing.

It further held that the Court of law should not be invited to adjudicate on the internal affairs of associations, including political parties, pointing out that outcome of primaries were internal affairs of the party.

The Appellate Court further held that Splendor Eze was only an appointed Caretaker Chairman of the Labour Party, Ebonyi State Chapter, who can be removed in the same way as his appointment.

In his reaction, the Labour Party Gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Edward Nkwegu, described the judgment as as divine.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU