The Supreme Court on Thursday confirmed Senator Athan Achonu as the lawful candidate of the Labour Party ahead of the November 11 gubernatorial election in Imo State.
Achonu, who lost one of his limbs in 1970, could become Nigeria’s first physically challenged governor if he is elected in the upcoming election.
After the party’s primary election, one of the governorship candidates, Basil Maduka, objected to and contested Achonu’s candidacy before both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.
However, in a decision issued on Thursday, the Supreme Court dismissed the case on the grounds that it lacked locus standi.
A panel of five justices led by Iyang Okoro also warned the appellant for misusing the legal process and wasting the time of the lower courts.
Other respondents in the case included the candidate of the Lamidi Apapa-led group, Joseph Ukaegbu, a.k.a. Ikenga, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Barrister Okwudili Anozie, counsel to the Labour Party, told journalists shortly after the judgment that the matter surrounding Achonu’s candidacy had been resolved.
He said, “Today at the Supreme Court, the antics of Basil Maduka and his accomplice, Joseph Ukaegbu, alias Ikenga, was put to an end as they met their waterloo at the Apex Court.
“Today was a culmination of their deceit and lies to Imolites spanning from their misrepresentation of the true position of the judgments of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.
“Upon the exposure and collapse of their lies before the Supreme Court today, Basil’s Counsel, with tails in between his legs, immediately withdrew his subterfuge appeal that was aimed at giving credence to Ukaegbu’s sham, non-existent primaries”.
