SENATOR Ayogu Eze, the Al l Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate in Enugu State says he will still win the election in spite of the late court judgement.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Thursday ruled that Eze remains the true governorship candidate of the APC in the state.

In his ruling over the substantive suit by Eze challenging his removal, the panel led by Justice Abdul Aboki upheld his prayers that he was the duly elected candidate of the party.

The appellate court ruled that “what happened at the lower court was a miscarriage of justice, as the defendant, George Ogara has no case in the first place.”

He stated that Ogara filed after 14 days of the result being published as allowed by law, so the lower court had no jurisdiction to entertain his case.

Justice Aboki directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to immediately restore the name of Senator Ayogu Eze as the candidate of the party.

Eze said in a press briefing in Enugu on Thursday that he would march on until victory was assured.

He assured his supporters that by May 29, he would be sitting on lion seat in Enugu Lion Building and urged them to remain calm.

“The tornado is on the move and you know what will happen if someone stands on the way of tornados, it will carry the person,” he said.

The onetime senator decried the way he was removed attributing it to what he called `political manipulations’.

“You know that in Nigeria, once the judiciary speaks, everybody will obey though the standard practice is that when a matter is undergoing litigation, the name that has been submitted to INEC stays on the list until the litigation expires.

“But my own case is different because of political manipulations;  they unjustly removed my name from INEC just to slow me down, just to hold down my emotions but my spirit cannot be stopped so I am marching on’’.

He thanked his supporters and the people of Enugu state who had been steadfast in their prayers and who had also been in agony while the process lasted.

In his remarks, the state Chairman of APC, Dr. Ben Nwoye congratulated all the lovers of democracy in Enugu state, for their support.

Nwoye said that they had already written a petition to INEC Chairman to put back their candidate’s name describing as `stolen mandate’.

He said that the party had spoken to the security agencies in respect of what happened on Wednesday at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Enugu where APC members and party agents were not allowed to witness distribution of sensitive materials.

The party chairman also called for the postponement of the election in Enugu State to enable INEC do the needful.

He said that they would stay in INEC and be awake to ensure that the name of their candidates was replaced and ensured that the result sheets their opponent allegedly stole were brought back.

Nwoye said that the party would not rest until it ensured that all these things they complained of were done for the interest of democracy.

He pleaded with security agencies not to disturb anybody asking for their civil rights in the state. (NAN)

– Mar. 7, 2019 @ 18:25 GMT |