Court declares Atuma APC Abia Central Senatorial candidate

From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

A federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, on Friday, declared Chief Emeka Atuma as the duly nominated All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Abia Central Senatorial zone.

 The APC Abia Central Senatorial ticket has been in contention since the July primaries of the party.

The Court presided over by Justice Evelyn Anyadike dismissed the application brought by the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon. Sam Onuigbo who was aspiring to migrate to the Senate in 2023.

Hon. Onuigbo had brought an application against APC, INEC and Emeka Atuma, challenging the substitution of himself with one Hon. Emeka Atuma as the APC Abia Central Senatorial candidate.

In dismissing Onuigbo’s application, the court noted that the applicant, among others, said the party primaries for the seat was conducted on the 29th July, 2022, and produced a result sheet dated same day while the actual primaries was conducted on the 18th July as authenticated by INEC observers.

The court further noted that the party was supreme in such matters, hence the choice of candidate was a party affair as the court cannot decide for the party, “unless there is gross violation of party constitution.”

Accordingly, the court affirmed the candidature of Hon. Emeka Atuma in Abia Central Senatorial District for 2023 election.

Explaining afterwards, the APC Lawyer, V Chukwudi Nwankwo said the court also noted that the result sheet was signed by a member of the party’s National Congress Monitoring Committee, one Daniel Suswan, contrary to the party guidelines that only the Chairman or Secretary of such committee should sign result sheets, stating, however, that Suswan has in an affidavit, denied issuing such.

This therefore rendered the result sheet a forged document and the matter dismissed based on forged documentary evidence.

With this development, Onuigbo’s aspiration to ascend to the senate may have hit the rocks.

The APC Abia Central Senatorial primaries had been controversial, much as it was contentious.

But Friday’scourt ruling came to many by surprise as Hon. Sam Onuigbo,  had squared up with current Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Henry Ikoh, during the battle for the party’s ticket for senatorial zone.

Atuma was known to have indicated interest and contested for the Abia State governorship ticket of the party which was won by Chief Ikechi Emenike.

Onuigbo, after a protracted party primary that lasted for days, was declared winner of the Abia Central Senate primary election, just as his rival was almost immediately was appointed Minister of the Federal Republic

However, in a deft political move that confused observers, APC declared Atuma as its candidate for Abia Central senatorial contest in 2023.

A disappointed Onuigbo headed for the courts which dismissed his application. It was not known if he would appeal the judgement.