The Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, yesterday, ordered the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to submit the name of Minister of Niger Delta, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, as the authentic governorship candidate of the party in the March 2 election.
The court also ordered the NWC of APC to forward the list of candidates as submitted by Godwin Etim John to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The court also affirmed the judgement of an Abuja high court declaring Godwin Etim John as the authentic state chairman of the APC.
The high court in Abuja, presided over by Justice A.O. Musa, had, on December 13, 2018, declared Godwin Etim John the authentic chairman of the APC in the state.
In a two-hour ruling delivered by Hon. Justice Simon A. Amobeda, the court ordered that, “INEC should only receive and accept the names and candidates for the 2019 elections that emerged from the lawful executive led by Godwin Etim John, which produced Pastor Usani Usani.”
It also ordered that persons parading themselves as the executive members of the APC in Cross River State should forthwith cease and that the lawful executive of the APC in Cross River State remains that led by Etim John.
Speaking with newsmen on the judgement, counsel to the claimants, Ayei Okpa, explained that “the judgment clearly is in support of the rule of law, as it also supports the yearnings of the common man.”
He added that once a judgement is delivered in a court of law, everyone affected is supposed and ought to comply with the said judgement and “that is what this court today has confirmed.”
