ONITSHA-The Court of Appeal in Enugu weekend stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from conducting the scheduled February 15 re-run election in Anambra South senatorial district on grounds that there was a subsisting matter between Senator Andy Uba of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chuma Nzeribe of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and Independence National Electoral Commission, INEC.
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The Court of Appeal in Enugu weekend stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from conducting the scheduled February 15 re-run election in Anambra South senatorial district on grounds that there was a subsisting matter between Senator Andy Uba of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chuma Nzeribe of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and Independence National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Giving the order, chairman of the 5-man panel, Justice Denton West, said the court was not given enough time to digest the processes on the substantive application presented to it on the day of the hearing of the matter to enable it give its ruling.
"The parties, especially INEC, are hereby ordered to desist from conducting any election concerning the parties until the ruling is made by this court," he said.
Chairman of the panel said the date of the ruling on the substantive application would be communicated to the parties.
APGA candidate, Chief Chuma Nzeribe, whose lawyer, O.A Obianwu (SAN), was not in court on ground of ill-health, had through his counsel, applied for adjournment of the case, adding that he wanted to be in court to personally argue the case of his client by addressing the court orally .
But the court in its ruling, refused the application, saying it was a ploy by the candidate and his lawyer to delay the case.
The court further held that it refused the application to adjourn the matter and for Nzeribe's counsel to address it orally because he ab ini tio insisted on written address instead of oral address as suggested by the parties on February 2, 2012.
Counsels to Andy Uba, Mr Arthur Obi Okafor, INEC, O.A Nnadi (SAN) and PDP counsel, Mr Clems Ezike, unanimously opposed the application for adjournment by Obianwu.