George Onyejiuwa, Owerri

A Federal Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State capital, has dismissed a suit filed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, challenging the emergence of Imo State Governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha as the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Senator Anyanwu had approached the court seeking to nullify the victory of Ihedioha as party’s gubernatorial candidate, saying that he should be declared as the authentic winner of the gubernatorial primary election.

Anyanwu who is the incumbent senator representing the Owerri zone ( Imo East), had accused the erstwhile deputy speaker of the House of Representatives of engaging in over voting, thuggery, which he alleged, swayed the polls in his favour.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Tijani Ringim, said the plaintiff did not convince the court on the prayers he sought. He said from the allegations of Senator Anyanwu, the court could not establish the fact in his claims and therefore dismissed the suit for lack of proof.

It would be recalled that the Imo State Governor-elect, won the gubernatorial primary election of the party conducted in Owerri on October 1, 2018, polling 1,723 votes to defeat Senator Anyanwu, who polled 1,282 votes.

While Senator Anyanwu rejected the result of the governorship primary election, five other aspirants, namely Senator Athan Achonu, Prof. Jude Njoku, Chief Chukwuma Ekomaru (SAN), Chief George Ejike, congratulated  Ihedioha on his victory and went ahead to join his campaign train.