Court sacks APC Reps member-elect

A Federal High Court sitting in Owerri Monday sacked Ugonna Ozurigbo, a House of Representative member-elect for Nkwerre/Nwangele/Njaba/Isu federal constituency of Imo State.

The judge, Justice P.A. Rigime, also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue a Certificate of Return to Kingsley Echendu the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party.

Neither PDP nor its candidate was a party to the suit.

The suit, filed by Harrison Nwadike an All Progressives Congress member, prayed the court to declare him as the party’s rightful candidate.

Nwadike contended that automatic tickets were unknown to the Constitution.

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Justice P.A. Rigime agreed with Nwadike that automatic tickets were unknown to law. Hence, Rigime declared Ozurigbo’s candidacy illegal and ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to Echendu.

The petitioner who was discontented with the judgement said it was wrong for the court to have declared the PDP candidate the lawful winner of the general election.

He said he will challenge the court order.