By Adadainfo
The standardbearer of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) for the 2023 senatorial election in Anambra South Senatorial District, Hon Chris Emeka Azubogu, has said that the rumour making waves in the social media about his purported sack by court is false.
A statement by Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia, head of media and publicity of Chris Azubogu’s media office, says that the lawmaker currently representing Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, remains the senatorial candidate of APGA in Anambra South.
The social media was agog on Thursday, November 24, 2022, with the rumour that Hon Chris Azubogu has been sacked by a Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Ekwo.
The information also had it that the court went ahead to declare Hon Ben Nwankwo, a former member of the House of Representatives, as the APGA senatorial candidate in Anambra South, and asked INEC to recognize him immediately.
But a statement from Chris Azubogu media office asked the general public to ‘disregard news flying on the social media that court has sacked Engr Chris Azubogu as the candidate of APGA’.
The statement reads, “The true information is that Ben Nwankwo’s quest to make himself candidate of APGA for Anambra South Senatorial zone through the court failed as Federal High Court sitting in Abuja refused to grant him relief that bothers on nullifying, and replacing Engr Chris Emeka Azubogu, who was nominated as the candidate on the primary election conducted on June 1, 2022, with him.
“To set the record straight, Ben Nwankwo, who came second in the party primaries, approached the court seeking, among other things: a declaration that Azubogu did not resign properly as a member of the National Assembly elected in PDP before contesting for senate in APGA. Two, an order of the court that all the votes cast for Azubogu (winner of the primary) be given to him who came second. Three, an order of the court that INEC should remove Azubogu’s name as the candidate of APGA and replace it with his name; and four, an order of the court that APGA should remove Azubogu’s name from their lists of candidates submitted to INEC.
“Court agreed with him in item one; but denied him 2nd, 3rd and 4th pleas. Even while item number one does not hurt the nomination and candidacy of Azubogu, he will still challenge it at the Appeal. It is very contestable.
“The judge refused to grant any consequential order. The court refused to remove Azubogu as candidate. The court also refused to make Ben Nwankwo candidate; the court refused to order INEC to remove Azubogu and recognize Ben Nwankwo. The court also refused to stop Azubogu from parading himself as the candidate of APGA, which also was one of the reliefs sought by Ben Nwankwo.
“In all, no where did court remove Azubogu as the candidate of APGA or made any consequential order that constitute removal or replacement of his candidacy as some of his opponents are circulating on the social media.”
