By Amos Aar
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue has announced that it considers Hon. Ottah Agbo as its authentic candidate for Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency in the February 25th general elections.
Governor Samuel Ortom made the decision of the PDP known at separate campaign rallies in Otukpo and Igumale within the week.
National Record reported how a Court of Appeal panel sitting in Abuja upturned the judgement of Makurdi Division of the Federal High Court and held that Hon Agbo is the rightful candidate of the party on the ground that Ms Ogwuche did not properly resign her appointment with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) before standing for the primary election for the position.
National Record also reported that Ms Ogwuche is challenging the Court of Appeal judgement at the Supreme Court seeking to upturn the judgement in her favour.
Governor Ortom opined during the campaign rallies of the PDP in Otukpo and Igumale that whoever the Supreme Court finally declares as winner of the ongoing litigation will be accepted by the PDP but said for now, Ottah Agbo remains the lawful candidate of the party based on the Appeal Court judgement.
“As we await the judgement of the Supreme Court. It can be Agbo Ottah, it can be her [Aida Ogwuche]. Whatever they bring, that’s what we will do because we have no power, Supreme Court has the powers. But the candidate as of now is Agbo Ottah,” Ortom declared.
Recall that Ogwuche won the PDP primaries for the aforementioned seat while Agbo came second. But Agbo challenged Ogwuche’s emergence at the Makurdi division of the Federal High Court presided over by Hon. Justice Abdul Dogo on the grounds that she did not resign her appointment with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) 30 days before the election as stipulated by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Agbo, who was defeated at the Federal High Court, headed to the appellate court in Abuja where the judgement of a three-man panel delivered by Hon. Justice Bature Gafai upturned Justice Dogo’s judgment in his favour.
However, Ogwuche approached the Supreme Court, insisting that she remains PDP’s candidate for Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency election.
