Anambra 2013: Soludo drags APGA to court over disqualification
Written by Tunde Oyesina - Abuja
Friday, 23 August 2013 00:00
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THE disqualified governorship aspirant of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State rofessor Chukwuma Soludo, on Thursday, dragged the party before an Abuja High Court, seeking a judicial review of his disqualification.

It is recalled that Soludo and five other aspirants were, on August 16, disqualified from contesting the November 16 governorship election of the state by the APGA screening panel.

The panel had based its decision to halt the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) participation in the August 26 APGA primaries on the basis of an ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for which he is considered a “potential high risk candidate.”

Dissatisfied, Soludo had approached the court through a motion ex parte filed by his counsel, Ikechukwu Ezechukwu, praying it to enter an order of certiorari removing and setting aside the decision of the APGA screening panel for violating the party’s constitution and the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and to maintain the status quo ante bellum.

He also wants the court to grant an order of interim injunction restraining APGA from preventing him from participating in the primary of August 26, 2013 pending the determination of the motion on notice.

Meanwhile, the presiding judge, Justice Peter Affen, overruled the oral submission of Ezechukwu that the matter could be entertained in the FCT being the headquarters of the party, and ordered him to file further affidavits citing authorities of cases heard outside the jurisdiction of the cause of action.

As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Tribune gathered that the citations had been filed before the court.

The court is, however, expected to rule on whether to entertain the matter or not today.

Other reliefs sought by Soludo include an order of certiorari removing the decision of the defendant/respondent’s screening panel/appeal panel dated August 16, 2013 purporting to disqualify the plaintiff/applicant from contesting the Anambra State gubernatorial primary election 2013 to the court for quashing.

yunglykmine: Good Move Prof.Soludo... APGA just Wanna render you helpless, you still stand a chance.
Good luck in your redress in court.

Royal Roy: This is ridiculous.

Taking a party to court just to participate in the primaries?

Even if the court grants his wish does he think those who "benched" him will sit down & watch him clinch the party ticket?
And then support him in his campaign?
A new comer for that matter!!

Very Interesting twist to this Season Film.

Bliss4Lyfe: So Peter Obi, Umeh and GEJ want Soludo to suffer before moving to the next stage of the democratic process.

GEJ second term assurance is tied to Soludo. I wonder how corporative Anambra will be with GEJ Administration once Ngige APC becomes Gov.

Soludo is a former member of the PDP, if anything GEJ should be fully behind him not all this bruhaha!

Don't see how all dis is in the interest of the Presidency.

Dicta18: Is the Anambra really cursed? More than 80% of APGA people want Soludo. Majority of Anambra want him to lift the State up. Who is afraid of Soludo? Is it true that ogas at the top directed that Soludo must be stopped at all cost because of 2015? Why can't Igbos be allowed to put their first eleven forward? Is APGA now part of PDP? Or has it been sold to PDP? Is it still an Igbo party? Igbo youths are angry. Join us to save APGA now! Let justice be done .

Prof Corruption: A vote for Ngige is a vote for development.

mikeansy: A lot of us talk like kids. It does not matter at this point whether Soludo ends up loosing the primary. But he must be allowed to take part in the democratic process so long as he has not been convicted of anything by a court of law. Soludo has a duty to ask a court to enforce this right!

On APGA and and who wins the primary. The whole process could end up being void because it seems Maxi Okwu has a strong case that could dethrone Victor Umeh and his NWC. I also hope this is the case two. There is a age old saying that 1 week is a long time in Politics. Trust me November is centuries away and I am happy that Soludo is will to go to court to seek re-dress.

I will not want him to jump to another party at this moment.

0nlytruth:

We don't really know that for sure going by his recent antecedents.
Ngige is looking more and more selfish to decerning folks. Having said that, I may be inclined to still support him ahead of any PDP candidate. Nothing is permanent in politics except interests. My fear is that Ngige may mortgage Anambra coffers to APC and Tinubu, thereby having very little money to invest in the state, BUT my fear of PDP is that they may also sell Igbo future entirely.
The Soludo affair is making me have a rethink of supporting anything remotely related to PDP.

0nlytruth:

My concern is that PDP and Jonathan may be planning to rig election to favor PDP in the November elections.
For the sake of our dear sake, we must make sure that they cease and desist from their selfish plans.
I am beginning to reevaluate my support for Jonathan going forward, because he seems to be involved in Soludo's troubles.
Politics is a quid pro quo business. If you support my aspirations, I support yours. Simple.
If you stiffle mine, then I would be very stupid to support yours.
I hope that they find a face saving way to give us Soludo (our true choice for governorship in Anambra state).
They caused this mess, they should fix it!

emiye:

he didnt mortgage anambra coffers to UBA, a fellow Igbo man, it is now Tinubu, he will mortgaged anambra coffers too abi?

0nlytruth:

We don't really know that for sure going by his recent antecedents.
Ngige is looking more and more selfish to decerning folks. Having said that, I may be inclined to still support him ahead of any PDP candidate. Nothing is permanent in politics except interests. My fear is that Ngige may mortgage Anambra coffers to APC and Tinubu, thereby having very little money to invest in the state, BUT my fear of PDP is that they may also sell Igbo future entirely.
The Soludo affair is making me have a rethink of supporting anything remotely related to PDP.

Prof Corruption:

Your fears are unfounded. Look at Oshiomole, he's in APC but exercises a largely independent mind. He's a performer too. I have chosen Oshiomole because you wouldn't believe any one cited in SW. Is Rochas also giving Imo's funds to Tinubu? Some of your claims are laughable.

I have read a lot about Ifeanyi Ubah of Labour party and I can say authoritatively he's not fit to rule Anambra. He's a fraud just looking for opportunity to use Anambra to settle his financial woes. Moneybags have taken over PDP and there's no guarantee of something good coming from that end. This year's election is more of funeral than coronation for APGA. Who is that man from APGA to challenge Ngige? They are big nothings!

Ngige has a record that clearly testifies to his ability and from my personal assessment, he has a strength of character.
I am not saying Ngige can deliver because I think so but because he had done so in the past. There's record that speaks for him and for all his grandstanding, Obi actually failed Anambra. If Ngige had been there and continued with his zeal before the court judgement, Anambra would have been radically and pleasantly different from what we have today.

Well, if you think Ngige is not the man, who is better?