The Federal High Court in Abuja has again refused the request by the Lamidi Apapa’s faction to stop the candidate of Labour Party, Chief Athan Achonu from contesting the off cycle Governorship election in Imo State on the platform of the party.
The request brought by the faction through its counsel, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mohammed Ndarani Mohammed was outrightly rejected by the Judge on for being premature. At the ruling, Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo held that he had perused through the affidavit evidence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and that of Apapa’s side and found contentious issues that cannot be resolved through the ex-parte motion as sought by Apapa’s side.
He said from the totality of the claims by Apapa’s faction and the counter claims of INEC, the dispute is deeply rooted and cannot be resolved through granting of interim injunction as requested by Apapa’s group. Apapa’s faction had in the ex-parte application applied for an order of interim injunction restraining INEC from recognizing or according recognition to any other person laying claim to the gubernatorial ticket of the party in Imo State slated for November 11 other than Chief Ukaegbu Ikechukwu Joseph who emerged from its primary election of April 16, 2023.
The group also sought for order of mandatory injuction compelling INEC to recognize and upload the name of Ukaegbu Joseph as the authentic gubernatorial and flagbearer of the party in Imo State.
The faction further demanded for a mandatory order against INEC that the name of Lamidi Apapa be uploaded as the National Chairman of the party as well as Alhaji Lawal Saleh as national secretary.
Justice Ekwo however, ordered the two parties to appear before him on November 23 to present their cases for determination on merit instead of ex-parte application
