Appeal court reinstates Ayogu Eze as APC guber candidate in Enugu

The court of appeal in Abuja has reinstated Ayogu Eze as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu state.

At its sitting on Thursday, a three-man panel of the court set aside an earlier judgement by the federal high court in Abuja which sacked him as the APC candidate.

The federal high court had ruled that George Ogara is the party’s authentic governorship candidate in Enugu. Ogara had approached the court, faulting the party’s primaries.

But delivering its ruling, the court of appeal panel led by Abdul Aboki said the suit brought before the federal high court had no competence as it had exceeded the time limit stipulated by the constitution.

Ogara had filed the suit on November 5 while the party held its governorship primaries on October 4.

The panel said having been brought after the mandatory 14 days stipulated by section 258(9) of the 1999 constitution for re-election matters, the lower court was barred to hear the suit.

He, therefore, nullified the federal high court ruling and pronounced that Eze the party’s candidate in Enugu.