BY LINUS CHIBUIKE
THE Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed two appeals by Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, seeking to be declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the last by-election in Imo North Senatorial District of Imo State.
A five-man panel of the court upheld the Appeal Court judgments, which voided the proceedings and decisions in the suit, which was filed by Lady Uchenna Onyeiwu Ubah before the Federal High Court, Owerri.
The two judgments, delivered on Thursday, by the panel, headed by Justice Amina Augie, were made on the appeals filed by Ararume, referenced, ‘SC/971/2020 and SC/972/2020’.
The judgements were to be applied to the cross-appeal, referenced ‘SC/1060/2020’ filed by Dr. Edith Chidinma Uwajimogu, seeking for Ararume to be declared as the APC candidate.
Justice Tijani Abubakar, who prepared the lead judgments, after reviewing the arguments by the different parties, said the Appellant’s appeal lacked merit.
He said, “I hold the view that the lower court was right in coming to the conclusion that the first respondent (Ibezim) was shut out and denied of his right to be heard as a necessary party in the suit at the trial court (Federal High Court).
“Therefore, the proceedings of the trial court constitute a nullity and must be struck out. Appellant’s appeal, therefore, lacked merit and it is hereby dismissed. The decision of the lower court, setting aside the judgment of the trial court is hereby affirmed. Parties are to bear their respective costs.”
Other members of the panel agreed with the lead judgement.
The Justices are Augie, Samuel Oseji, Uwani Abba-Aji and Emmanuel Agim.
Ubah had, after the primary election of the APC, asked the Court to compel the APC to submit the name of Chukwuma Frank Ibezim to the Independent National Electoral Commission as its candidate for the election.
But the Federal High Court rejected her demands, ruling that Ubah lacked the locus standi to file the suit.
The court thereafter disqualified Ibezim as the APC candidate and ordered INEC to accept Ararume as the party’s candidate for the bye-election.
