Victory for Abia PDP, Ahiwe, Uche as Appeal Court dismisses Igwe's appeal

BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has dismissed the appeal filed by Barrister Okey Igwe, former running mate to late Prof. Uchenna Ikonne, the former PDP candidate in the 2023 Abia governorship election challenging the candidacy of Dr. Jasper Uche who was chosen by Sir Okey Ahiwe as his running mate after he emerged as the candidate of the PDP in a fresh primary election that replaced late Prof. Ikonne.

In dismissing the case, the Appeal Court asked Barr. Okey Igwe to pay the Abia PDP, Sir Okey Ahiwe and Dr. Jasper Uche, the sum of N500,000 as cost of litigation.

The appeal by Barr. Okey Igwe followed the judgement of an Abuja High Court which had earlier dismissed Okey Igwe’s suit against the PDP, Sir Okey Ahiwe and Dr. Jasper Uche on his substitution as the running mate to the new PDP candidate.

Reacting to the court ruling, the Vice Chairman of Abia State PDP/Acting Publicity Secretary, Elder Abraham Amah, said, “The victory at the Appeal Court is not only a victory for the parties involved but a victory for the entire Abia PDP, the good people of Abia and for democracy because it shows that the judiciary is still the absolute defender of our democracy.

“The Abia PDP knows those behind this case in their desperate effort to undermine the value of the Abia PDP petition before the Abia Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and we know that their plans would fail because we have confidence in the ability of the Tribunal to deliver justice.

“We congratulate the Abia PDP, Sir Okey Ahiwe, Dr. Jasper Uche and all men of goodwill on this important victory at the Court of Appeal and we call on the good people of Abia and the members of the PDP to remain resolute, steadfast and eternally vigilant in our pursuit of justice and democracy.

Editor

Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.