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Contrary to reports that the governorship candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, has been disqualified from contesting in Saturday's election, Daily Sun has gathered that he is very much in the race.
Contrary to reports that the governorship candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, has been disqualified from contesting in Saturday's election, Daily Sun has gathered that he is very much in the race.
Also still in the race are former governor of Kogi State and governorship candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Audu as well as governorship candidate of the Action Congress (AC) in Adamawa State, Ibrahim Bapetel.
Media reports had it that T. A. Orji, Audu and Bapetel did not make the final list of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) allegedly released at the weekend.
However, a highly placed official of the INEC, who pleaded anonymity, said that the PPA candidate in Abia State was not dropped by INEC. He said that although "indicted" was placed against the name of Orji, he was not disqualified from contesting in Saturday's election. He said that this also applies to both Audu and Bapetel.
Said the INEC official: "We placed ‘indicted' against their names so that people will know that they were allowed to contest in the election in obedience to court orders. There are subsisting court orders to that effect."
Speaking on this, the PPA has assured its supporters that its candidate in Abia is still in the race for the governorship seat. It urged voters in Abia State to ignore the rumour about the disqualification of Chief T.A Orji, and come out en masse on Saturday to vote for him.
It would be recalled that an Abia High Court, which sat in Umuahia had restrained the Federal Government from using the list of alleged corrupt politicians compiled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Governor Orji Uzor Kalu and other Abia State government officials.
Apart from this, a Federal High Court in Kaduna had voided the Federal Government white paper on the administrative panel which allegedly indicted Abia State governor and PPA presidential candidate, Dr. Kalu; T. A. Orji, C. C. Elechi, PPA Abia House of Assembly candidate and Mr. Obasi Agu, another PPA Abia House of Assembly candidate.
In his ruling, in a case brought before him by PPA and Senator Usman Al-Bashir, ANPP governorship candidate in Yobe State, Justice Abdullahi Liman affirmed that the Federal Government had no power to either summon state government officials or try them. He accused President Olusegun Obasanjo of using power arbitrarily.
"The president believes his powers are amorphous and limitless. However, the constitution is clear on the areas the president can preside over," Justice Liman had said.
The judge also ruled: "I am satisfied that the administrative panel did not give the candidates fair hearing. It denied them the opportunity to defend themselves of whatever allegations against them.
"The particulars of this indictment consist of and did not disclose any specific allegation which would enable the persons involved the opportunity to adequately prepare for their defence," he said.
In quashing the white paper, the court ruled: "The proceedings of the administrative panel, its findings, its recommendation indicting Orji Uzor Kalu, the PPA presidential candidate; the PPA governorship candidate in Abia State, T. A. Orji; C. C. Elechi, PPA Abia House of Assembly candidate and Mr. Obasi Agu, another PPA Abia House of Assembly candidate and the white paper on them are hereby brought into the court and are hereby quashed."