Abia APC’s Uche Ogah Loses Out As INEC Releases Final List Of Governorship, State Assembly Candidates

The final lists of candidates for the 2023 governorship and state assembly elections were released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday

But conspicuously missing on the list of Abia governorship candidates was the immediate past Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, who was seeking to succeed Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

THE WHISTLER reported how a crisis had erupted in the Abia APC after the party held parallel governorship primary elections in the state that produced Ogah and Ikechi Emenike as candidates of the party.

But dashing Ogah’s hopes of occupying the Abia State Government House after the completion of Ikpeazu’s tenure on May 29, 2023, INEC published Emenike’s name as the validly nominated candidate of the APC for the 2023 poll.

The battle for the All Progressives Congress governorship ticket between Emenike and Ogah has now been settled in favour of the former.

INEC’s decision followed the Abuja Court of Appeal’s affirmation of Emenike as the authentic governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in a judgment delivered on September 2.

The appellate court presided over by Hon. Justice B. Georgewill dismissed the appeal filed by Ogah which sought to nullify the candidature of Emenike.

In its judgment on appeal No. CA/OW/269/2022: APC & ANOR Vs Ikechi Emenike & ANOR, the appellate court dismissed the appeal for lack of merit and endorsed the judgment of an Abia State High Court which recognised Emenike as the real candidate of APC.

Meanwhile, According to the lists published across INEC’s offices in states of the federation, 837 governorship and 10,240 House of Assembly candidates were cleared for the March 11, 2023 governorship and state assembly polls.

The governorship candidate of the ruling PDP in Abia State, Professor Uche Ikonne; and his running mate, Okey Igwe were among those who made the final list of candidates for the 2023 governorship poll in Abia.

Other candidates who made the 36-man list included the APGA Governorship flag bearer, Professor Greg Ibe; his running mate, Mr. Obinna Ichita; the LP governorship candidate, Dr. Alex Otti; and his running mate, Emetu Lekwachi.

Other governorship candidates who were also cleared included Bishop Sunday Onuoha of the ADC; and his running mate, Ngozi Nwasimuo; Chima Nwafor of the YPP; and his running mate, Chima Anyaso.