A Federal High Court sitting in Awka on Wednesday ruled against Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, upholding Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu as the legitimate All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the upcoming November 8 governorship election in Anambra State.

Justice Evelyn Anyadike, who presided over the case, determined that Ozigbo failed to provide conclusive evidence that Ukachukwu was ineligible for the primary election held on April 5.

Ozigbo had approached the court seeking to nullify Ukachukwu's candidacy, arguing that his opponent did not legitimately qualify to contest in the party's primary election.

In her judgment, Justice Anyadike acknowledged that while there were concerning discrepancies in Ukachukwu's documentation, the court lacked jurisdiction to substitute one candidate for another.

"The court cannot interfere in the internal matters of a political party where the plaintiff has not provided incontrovertible proof of the date of membership, nor shown that the party acted outside its constitutional powers," Justice Anyadike stated in her ruling.

Reacting to the judgment, Ozigbo expressed his commitment to justice but indicated he would be consulting with his legal team on possible next steps.

"We are consulting with our lawyers, we will decide on our next step. I did not fight this case for myself, I fought for Ndi Anambra. I fought to protect the soul of our democracy, and that fight is far from over," Ozigbo remarked.

Ozigbo's legal team had argued during proceedings that Ukachukwu's membership registration was retroactively altered to meet the eligibility deadline, a claim that ultimately did not sway the court's decision.

"This was not just about form-filling, it was about principle. It was about saying no to criminality. Unfortunately, the court blinked," Ozigbo added.

Meanwhile, supporters of Ukachukwu celebrated the favorable judgment. The APC candidate had recently completed a tour of all 21 local government areas in Anambra State, thanking delegates for selecting him as the party's flagbearer.

The November 8 governorship election is expected to be highly competitive, with Ukachukwu now firmly established as the APC's representative following this judicial affirmation.

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