The Federal Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri has not executed the previous judgment which ordered the conduct of fresh primaries by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala federal constituency in Imo State, the area where the former Governor, Emeka Ihedioha hails from.
In January, the Federal High Court dismissed Albert Agulanna, who emerged as a PDP candidate in the 2023 House of Representatives election, seeking to represent the constituency.
The lower court also ordered that new primaries be held in the federal constituency within the next 14 days.
However, following an appeal filed by Dr. Uzoma Ugochukwu, the appeals court has stopped the PDP from holding fresh primaries.
The court in a judgment given by a 3-man panel led by Justice Rita Pemu stated that the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should not conduct a new primary pending the outcome of the appeal at the Supreme Court.
“Accordingly, the order is as follows: The order of this honorable court was made on January 20, 2023, ordering the new primary election for Aboh-Mbaise / Ngor-Okpala Federal Constituency of Imo State pending hearing and final determination. of the Applicant appealed before the High Court at The propriety of the order says that the fresh primary becomes and this remains.
Consequently, by this Order, the 1st and 2nd Respondents are hereby barred from enforcing in any way the judgment of this Court delivered on 20th January 2023 by holding fresh primary elections for Aboh-Mbaise/Ngor-Okpala Federal Constituency. ,” the court said.
The development comes nearly two weeks before the federal parliamentary elections scheduled for February 25.