Justice Evelyn Anyadike has confirmed Hon Emeka Atuma as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Abia Central senatorial district against Hon Sam Onuigbo. This happened at a Federal High Court in Umuahia. The member representing the Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency filed a lawsuit, which Justice Evelyn Anyadike, sitting in the capital of Abia State, dismissed on Wednesday for failure to state a claim. Onuigbo had requested that the court pronounce him the winner of the APC primary election for the position, which was held on May 28 but was then canceled by the party and rescheduled for June 7.
The court dismissed the lawsuit after finding that Onuigbo’s absence from the rescheduled election, in which Atuma, a former representative of the constituency, was declared the victor, was prejudicial to his request. The court went on to state that it is well-established in the law that choosing a candidate for an election is a matter for the party itself; a statement to which the APC attorney, Barr Vigilus Nwankwo responded by declaring that Onuigbo’s argument had collapsed like a house of cards.
Atuma, who served in the Green Chamber from 2003 to 2007, responded to the verdict by saying there was no victor and no vanquished; he said that his major goal is to win the general election. Onuigbo, who is finishing up his second term in office, did not respond to press men’s attempts to contact him as of the time this news was filed.
