The senatorial ambition of Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State was on Tuesday hung in the balance, as the only female aspirant, in the just concluded primary elections of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ann Agom-Eze went to court to stop him.
Daily Post reports that Governor David Umahi through his counsel and elder brother, Roy Nwaze had dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to the Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, to compel the commission to recognize Umahi as the authentic senatorial candidate for Ebonyi south senatorial zone.
Nwaze argued that the governor’s name should be recognized by INEC, hence the 1st winner of the Ebonyi south senatorial primary election which took place at Afikpo North LGA.
Mr. Austin Umahi a contender had withdrawn at the 2nd primary election conducted wherein David Umahi was reported to have won unopposed.
Also, Mudi Erhenedi, a counsel to senator Mikel Nnachi, who is representing Ebonyi South senatorial zone and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had approached the same federal High court sitting in Abakaliki to be joined in the suit, with the aim of stopping Umahi from being enlisted by INEC.
In a swift reaction, Nwonu Nnaemeka, counsel to Mrs Ann Agom-Eze, said he was instructed by his client to file a suit, requesting the court to join her in the suit filed by Umahi’s counsel, Nwaze and that she is the authentic senatorial candidate of APC in Ebonyi South zone, since Austin Umahi who won, had withdrawn from the contest, and not David Umahi.
Nwonu noted that his client is not aware of any conduct of another APC primary election in Ebonyi south senatorial zone, as being rumoured in the state.
According to him: “while we were in court, I got briefing to enter an appearance for Mrs. Ann Agom-Eze who sort to be joined as a party in a matter she got information about, patterning to her contestation for APC primary election.
“We indicated her interest in the matter, especially because her name was mentioned in the affidavit in support of the action, particularly in paragraph 10 of the affidavit in support of the originating summon, had made an allegation of her withdrawal, which she is denying and being that she is denying it, it is proper for the court to hear her.
“Mrs Ann Agom-Eze is the second runner up of the APC Primary election in Ebonyi south zone and being the second runner up if the winner of the primary election had withdrawn and the party decides to conduct another primary, she is supposed to be part of the processes and based on the instructions of our client, she is not aware of the holding of any other rerun election taken place anywhere, and she is the person to benefit from whatever the party decides if the candidate has withdrawn” he stated.
