The Federal High Court sitting in Owerri Imo State on Wednesday, 26 October 2022 declared Kingsley Onyegbule as the rightful candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the Orlu/Orsu/Oru East federal Constituency.
One Aloy Igwe had challenged Onyegbule’s emergence as the candidate of the party for the 2023 poll in the constituency.
Delivering the judgement, Justice Bello said that Aloy Igwe suit lacks merit and he has no locus standi to challenge the party candidate having absconded from the rescheduled primary election of 5 June 2022.
The judge said the party’s Appeal Committee was right to cancel the primary election held on 26 May 2022.due to visible irregularities.
Justice Bello blamed Igwe for not participating in the primary election of 5 June 2022 and declared Kingsley Onyegbule as the rightful winner of the party primary election for Orlu/Orsu/Oru East Federal House of Representatives seat.
The judge directed Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to accept the name of the party candidate, Kingsley Onyegbule as the rightful and authentic party candidate for Orlu Orsu and Oru East Federal House of Representatives election.
Responding. the lead counsel to Onyegbule, Milletus Nlemedum described the judgement as a victory for democracy and rule of law.
He pointed out that the party, PDP has shown that it is really a law-abiding one.
Nlemedim, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Imo State said; “It also shows that, the party primary election was conducted in the strict compliance with the constitution and party’s electoral guidelines as well as Electoral Act of 2022.
“The party made it available for any aggrieved aspirant to approach the Appeal Panel and it is the duty of the Appeal Panel to decide and today, court has delivered the judgement based on the earlier Appeal Panel decisions”.
Also speaking, the Director General Kingseoul Campaign Organization, Emeka Ukeka described the judgement as democracy in action and called for unity of purpose between the two camps.
He said Kingsley Onyegbule is a passionate person who is ready to work with everyone including Aloy Igwe.
On his part, Kingsley Onyegbule described his judicial victory as victory for Orlu Federal Constituency and called for synergy, peace and unity among the people of Orlu/Orsu/Oru East Federal Constituency.
