Umahi loses presidential, senatorial tickets; court upholds female rival’s victory

Ebonyi Governor Dave Umahi has been ordered to stay off the senatorial contest in Ebonyi South.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, on Friday, recognised Princess Ann Agom-Eze as the APC senatorial candidate

Governor Umahi through his counsel, Roy Nweze Umahi, had sued INEC, and prayed the court to compel the commission to recognise the governor as the authentic senatorial candidate for the ticket.

But Princess Agom-Eze, on Tuesday, approached the court for justice.

Umahi’s counsel argued that the governor’s name should be recognised by INEC as  the winner of the Ebonyi South Senatorial primary election which took place at Afikpo North Local Government Area, in the state.

During the second election in June, Austin Umahi (the governor’s younger brother), a contender, withdrew from the contest, making the governor an unopposed winner.

Delivering his judgement on Friday, Justice Fatun Riman, cited section 115 of the Electoral Act 2022, saying the governor was not an aspirant and cannot participate in the first election or pre-election matters of the All Progressives Congress as regards the Ebonyi South zone, whose primary held on the 28th day of May, 2022.

The amended Electoral Act indicates Umahi neither procured forms nor participated in the election and cannot claim any right based on the primary election.

The governor contested the APC presidential election and scored 38, coming far behind winner and APC leader Bola Tinubu.