Anambra : Obidigbo moves to stop Obiano’s inauguration

Barely two weeks to the swearing-in of Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as Governor of Anambra State, his rival from the same party, Chike Obidigbo, has gone to court seeking an order to restrain the state Chief Judge (CJ) from performing the exercise on March 17.

It would be recalled that Obidigbo had filed a petition at the election petitions tribunal contending that Obiano was not the candidate of APGA at the November 16, 2013 governorship election in Anambra State.

He is praying that he (Obidigbo) should instead be declared the party’s candidate that was declared winner of the said election.

Obidigbo had also filed an application praying the tribunal to join him in the petitions filed by the duo of Chris Ngige of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tony Nwoye of the Peoples democratic Party (PDP), both of them candidates at the poll, because the out come of the two petitions would affect his own petition.

But the tribunal did not grant his prayers, insisting that he (Obidigbo) has a pre-election matter before it and that he did not contest the said election.

Obidigbo, however, went to the Federal High Court in Abuja where he obtained an order to serve originating summons on Obiano, APGA National Chairman, Maxi Okwu, APGA, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the CJ of Anambra State, Justice I Umeadi.

In the suit Obidigbo is praying the court, among others, for a declaration that by the virtue of Section 177 (C) of the 1999 Constitution, Obiano was not qualified to participate and or take part in the Anambra State governorship election, as, according to him, he (Obiano) was not sponsored by the party as its candidate.

He is also praying the court to declare that by the virtue of Section 177(C) of the Constitution he (Obidigbo) is the candidate duly sponsored by the party to contest the said election.

He is equally seeking an order of mandatory injunction restraining the 1st defendant, Obiano, from parading himself and or representing or holding out himself as the sponsored candidate of the 3rd defendant in the Anambra State governorship election or otherwise representing that he was validly elected/chosen by the 4th defendant, as the candidate for APGA or presenting himself on March 17, or any other date for swearing-in as the Governor of Anambra State.

He also prayed for an order of mandatory injunction restraining the 5th defendant, the CJ, or any other judge in the Anambra State judiciary from swearing in on March 17, or any other date the 1st defendant, Obiano, as Governor of Anambra State or administering the oath of allegiance and oath of office on the 1st defendant as Governor of Anambra State.

Source: Daily independent