A federal high court in Abuja has affirmed Dr Jasper Uche as the Deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia state in the 2023 General election.
In a judgment delivered on Monday 3rd July 2023, Justice James Omotosho of Federal High Court, Abuja affirmed Dr Uche as the authentic PDP Deputy Governorship candidate as submited to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/213/2023 filed in January, Igwe Philip Okey had submitted that his nomination by the late PDP Gubernatorial candidate subsist even after the fresh primaries conducted by the party.
Delivering the judgment, the judge held.
“In the final analysis, this court holds that the plaintiff has not proved his case on the preponderance of evidence. Consequently, the matter of the plaintiff is hereby dismissed because the position of the deputy-governorship candidacy of the Plaintiff expires at the death of the governorship candidate that nominated him.
“The 2nd defendant (INEC) is to accord the 4th Defendant full recognition as the authentic PDP Deputy Governorship candidate in Abia State.
“The activities of a political party cannot be operated arbitrarily or at the whims or caprices of selected individuals, no matter how highly placed.
“Political parties are creations of the constitution and statute. Therefore, the affairs of registered political parties in Nigeria must be run in conformity and in obedience to the law creating them.”
