Supreme Court sacks remaining 2 Anambra Senators, announces replacements

The Supreme Court in Nigeria has sacked two Senators from Anambra State, Stella Oduah and Andy Uba, almost two months after a third Senator from the state, Uche Ekwunife, was sacked.

Former minister of Aviation and Senator from Anambra State, Stella Oduah, has dismissed reports that the Supreme Court nullified her election into the senate.

Ubah and Oduah will be replaced by Chris Ubah (Anambra South) and Annie Okonkwo (Anambra Central) respectively. The judgment under reference is SC. 37 /2015: CHIEF EJIKE OGUEBEGO & ANOR v. PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY & ORS.

Despite that ruling, the parallel state executive of the PDP went ahead to conduct parallel primaries.

They further ruled that the candidates who emerged from the primaries conducted by the Oguebego-led group were the true representatives from the state to occupy the vacant seats.

Both factions of the PDP held separate primaries, but INEC accepted the list from the Akobundo faction based on the verdict of the Appeal Court and recognition given to the faction by the National Secretariat of the PDP.

In his own remarks, Counsel to the INEC, Hassan M Liman (SAN) expressed happiness that the apex court has now restored the decision of the Federal High Court, which stated that INEC should relate only with the Chief Ejike Oguebego exco in the state.

“The judgment also lays out the proper procedures for selection of political parties legislative candidates”.

Regarded as the godfather of Anambra PDP, Chris Uba, known as Eselu Uga, played crucial roles in the emergence of Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju and Dr Chris Ngige as governors of Anambra State on the platform of the PDP.

In December 2014, the Federal High Court had ruled that it was only the constitutionally recognized state party leadership that could organize the party primaries.

– A solicitor to the nine lawmakers that were allegedly sacked have written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“If the Supreme Court thought that we were wrong in where we are or that we came through a false means they would have made a consequential order to remove us”, he affirmed.

That list comprises of Andy Uba, Oduah and Uche Ekwunife as Senatorial candidates. Obinna Chidoka and Hon.