A Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State on Wednesday,July 23,2025 dismissed the suit brought before it by Chief Valentine Ozoigbo, a defeated aspirant in the April 5,2025 primary election of the All Progressives Congress, APC,in Anambra State .
Chief Ozigbo who came a distant second in the primary election in which eight contestants participated had five days after dragged the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the winner, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu to court challenging his nomination as the governorship candidate of the party on the ground of his ward enrollment as a member of the party.
In dismissing the suit, the Court presided over by Hon Justice Evelyn Anyadike threw it out for lacking in merit.
The court in its ruling noted that the Supreme Court had in previous decided cases stressed that the decision of membership of political parties was a prerogative of the particular party which no one else or court has the jurisdiction to choose their members for them.
At the close of sitting,, the counsel t the APC, Shedrack Ayo, Esq described the verdict as sound and commendable
“It was a sound, commendable, and well researched judgement which was a clear interpretation of the law.
“Because when you look at the complaint of the plaintiff (Chief Valentine 0zigbo), you will discover that it fell short of the clear provisions of Sec 285,(14a) and Sec 84(14) of the Electoral Act.
“Sec 285(14)a, states that a complaint must arise from the issue of construction, the Electoral Act and the party guidelines.
But the entire content of the suit fell short of these copious provisions”, he said.
Also, Barrister Joseph Mola Mathew standing in for Chief Olushola Oke(SAN) counsel for Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, governorship candidate of the APC for the coming Nov 8,2025 Anambra State governorship election commended the judgement as a clear delivery of justice, noting that the case ab initio had no merit as it was dead on arrival.
He said :”The position of law is clear, that any issue bothering on the membership of a candidate is domestic affair of the relevant political party. So, to that extent, no court has any jurisdiction on that.
“We were actually surprised when we read the process filed by the plaintiff which bothered squarely on membership. It’s therefore not surprising that the court in it’s judgement delivered just now stated the position of the law especially the Supreme Court, which has held that no one has jurisdiction to dabble into membership of political parties”, he said.
He also said that it was a trite law that where the National Working Committee (NWC) of a party has cleared a candidate no member has the jurisdiction to challenge same.
On the issue of a possible appeal by Ozigbo,Barrister Joseph Mathew, who stood in for Olusola Oke (SAN) said that it was the inalienable right of a party in a matter to appeal when not satisfied.
“It’s not unexpected. It’s his right to do so”, he said.
However one of the frontline supporters of the Nicholas Ukachukwu and the national Convener of Anambra Equity Movement (ANEM), Hon Tony Ezekwelu while praising the judgement, urged party members and supporters of Prince Ukachukwu to be magnanimous in victory, saying that “after all we are members of one APC family”.
Also Mrs Juliet Kasie, a supporter of Chief Ozigbo took the outcome in good faith, stating that life is filled with challenges and would advice that political leaders should close ranks to face the challenges ahead as one united family so as to triumph.
