A Federal High Court, FHC sitting in Abakaliki has dismissed a suit challenging the nomination of Governor Francis Nwifuru as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the last Election.
The suit filed by a Chieftain of the People's Democratic Party, Chief Mudi Erhenede sought the disqualification of Governor Nwifuru because he was a member of the PDP when he contested the Election.
He alleged that the Governor did not follow lawful procedures as stipulated by the PDP's constitution which guarantees individuals permission to leave the party for defection or whatsoever reason.
The Lead Counsel to Governor Nwifuru, and APC, Mr Ejike Anwu urged the Court to dismiss the petition for lacking in merit noting that the suit was a pre-Election matter.
In his judgement, the Presiding Judge, Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa agreed with the respondent's submissions that the petition was status barred by section 285 paragraph 9 of the 1999 Constitution and therefore threw it out for lacking in merit.
