Anambra Guber: Supreme Court Declares Ozigbo As PDP Candidate

The Supreme Court in Abuja has declared Valentine Ozigbo as the authentic candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.

In a judgement delivered on Thursday, the apex court dismissed the suit against Ozigbo’s candidacy and awarded damage of N5 million against Senator Ugochukwu Uba.

The panel of justices, led by Justice Inyang Okoro affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal Awka Division delivered on September 3, which declared Ozigbo the authentic governorship candidate of the PDP.

Ozigbo was present at the Supreme Court along with former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, and Senate Minority Leader Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.

Recall that INEC had listed Valentine Ozigbo as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Anambra governorship poll.

The electoral agency had in a list published on July 16, had excluded the candidate of the PDP from the governorship election.

But in a ruling on July 19, a Federal High Court in Awka ordered INEC to publish the name of Ozigbo as the candidate of the PDP.

Similarly, on September 3, the Court of Appeal in Abuja declared Ozigbo as the validly nominated PDP candidate.

In a statement issued by its Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, INEC said it has finally obeyed the court order that recognised Ozigbo ad the PDP candidate.

He, however, disclosed that the final list of candidates will be published on October 7, 2021.