Stanley Nkwazema
14 July 2008
Abuja — The Supreme Court has sacked Hon. Obinna Chidoka from the House of Representatives as the representative for Idemili/North and South Federal Constituency of Anambra state.
Five Justices of the Supreme Court, Niki Tobi, George Adesola Oguntade, Mahmud Mohammed, Francis Fedode Tabai and Muhammed Muntaka Coomasssie, while ruling on the case, ordered that Chidoka, the third respondent on April 21, 2007,vacate the seat and his place taken by Mr. Charles Chinwendu Odeda, the appellant and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In the judgement, Oguntade stated that: "I would order that the appellant (Charles Chinwendu Odeda) being the candidate validly nominated by the PDP should step into the shoes of the third respondent, Obinna Chidioka , as the winner of the election
This , being an intra party dispute between members of the PDP, ought not make order which binds or affects other political parties or candidates who were not parties tot this case."
Odeda along with 10 others, Obiakor, Sylvester Okonkwo, Mgbemena, Emeka Onuora, Denis Okafor. Chukwueleu, Okwu Chukwu Obi, Obienyi, Chidioka and Helen Uzoma contested the primaries on November 24, which he won.
Chidoka scored only 6 votes and came a distant 10th. The appellant scored 397 votes at the primaries but INEC went ahead and published his name as the person who was cleared to contest the election. Odeda also completed the documentation, and had his name duly published on December 20 by INEC as the person who was cleared to contest the election.
According to the judgement, "the appellant thought the coast was free or clear for him to contest the election with other political parties. But that was not to be. He had a surprise. I think he also had a shock."
Odeda had on February 27 2007 got the information that his name had been substituted with that of Chidoka, he thereafter went to the Federal High Court in Enugu for the judicial review of the action of the INEC and the PDP in relation to the substitution of his name. But according to the Supreme Court,"the learned trial judge did not see his way clear in granting the relief sought by he appellant. He refused them."When contacted yesterday, Chidoka did not pick his calls but Odeda told THISDAy that it was a vindication against an unpopular decision by a few individuals to ignore the wish of the people who found him worthy to represent them in the National Assembly.
Odeda said he never lost hope in the judiciary despite the fact that the Federal High court, and the Court of Appeal did not see reason to give it to him earlier.
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