As the battle over who becomes the authentic Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representatives at the National Assembly after the Supreme Court ruling on Anambra State shifts to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chief Chris Uche (SAN), has written to the commission demanding release of Certificates of Return to Chief Chris Uba, Senator Annie Okonkwo, Senator John Emeka and 41 others.
Uche prayed that since the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Ejike Oguebego faction in the leadership crisis in Anambra PDP, candidates who emerged victorious in the conducted primaries should be issued Certificates of Return.
In a January 29 letter addressed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, titled “Compliance with judgment of Supreme Court, Anambra State PDP National Assembly candidates SC/37/2015-Ejike Oguebego and Anor vs Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” Uche said the effect of the Supreme Court judgment was that those who were not part of the list of candidates produced by the congress/primary elections under the watch of Oguebego and his executive committee ought and must vacate the positions they are presently occupying on the ground that they were not validly nominated.
Already, there is confusion over the fate of the present members of the National Assembly on the list of the other faction of the party. The names of Chris Ubah, Annie Okonkwo and 42 others were replaced following the Appeal Court judgment of February 6, 2015, prior to the 2015 general elections.
Uche, who is the counsel to affected candidates on the list of Oguebego in his letter to the electoral body stated further that now that the apex court has finally settled this matter, it was the responsibility of INEC to enforce and comply with the said judgment.
He also copied the Chairman, Legal Sconces Committee, INEC Headquarters, Abuja; Ibrahim Bawa, (SAN), Director, Legal Services Department INEC and Hassan Liman, SAN INEC Lead Counsel, stressing that there was no other primary election conducted by PDP to produce any candidate other than the one that produced his clients.
“The effect of the Supreme Court judgment consequently is that all those who were not part of the list of candidates produced by the congress/primary elections that the Ejike Oguebego and his executive committee participated in, and monitored by INEC ought and must vacate the positions they presently occupy having not been validly nominated.
“In the light of the foregoing, we therefore, demand that your commission complies promptly with the said judgment of the Supreme Court by issuing forthwith Certificates of Returns to our clients as the authentic and legitimate candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party for Anambra State who won the election, the entire gamut of litigation having been exhausted. We look forward to your timely cooperation and compliance,” the letter read in part.
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