Court Declares Mbata Authentic APC Candidate
By Orji Sampson
The Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri has ruled that Hon Obinna Mbata as the rightful candidate of the All Progressive Congress APC, for Owerri Federal Constituency for the February 23 National Assembly election Trumpeta reports.
Hon Tony Umezuruike had approached the Owerri High Court few days before the National Assembly election in February where he challenged the nomination of Mbata as candidate of the APC for Owerri Federal Constituency.
In their Judgment, the 3 man panel of Judges overruled the earlier decision of the Federal High Court Owerri presided by Justice T.G Ringim, which sought to replace Tony Umezuruike as the APC candidate for Owerri Federal Constituency.
With the ruling of the Appeal Court which has set the records straight, political analysts contend that the legal wrangling had put spanner in the wheel of progress for Hon Mbata, a former commissioner for Finance under the rescue mission government who was in pole position to win the Owerri House of Representatives seat for the APC based on political forecasts at that time.
It is however left to be known if the party APC and Hon Mbata will continue to pursue the appeal filed by Umezuruike challenging the victory of Hon Ikenna Elezieanya of the PDP in the February national assembly election.
