The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has nullified the emergence of Michael Enoyong as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State.
Enoyong had earlier secured the candidacy following an order issued by a Federal High Court in January. However, the PDP rejected the order and appealed the decision.
In its ruling on Tuesday, the appellate court upheld the appeal and ordered that the mandate of Pastor Umo Eno, who had emerged as the winner of the primary conducted by the party, be restored. The court also ordered Enoyong to pay N1 million as cost to the appellant.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Hamma Barka noted that the Federal High Court judgment was delivered in error and that the court was misled by the plaintiff on the use of statutory delegates which the party had disqualified from the process. Justice Barka also held that the issue of statutory delegates who voted at the primary election was an internal affair of the party and that the lower court should not have inquired into the issue.
Enoyong had emerged as the PDP candidate in a factional primary conducted by some statutory delegates of the party in Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo. The ruling of the appellate court has now invalidated his candidacy and reinstated Pastor Umo Eno as the party’s governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State.
