Supreme Court reaffirms Ogewu as APC candidate for Oju/Federal Constituency

The Supreme Court Friday reaffirmed the candidature of Evangelist David Ogewu for Oju/Obi Federal Constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Ogewu’s victory at the apex court came less than 24 hours to the presidential and National

Assembly election slated for Saturday.

The candidate has been locked in a running legal battle since he was declared winner of the party’s primaries in June last year.

His rival, Obo Egbodo had dragged him to the Federal High

Court Makurdi, challenging his victory at the primary and the lower court upturned the verdict of the primaries and nullified Ogewu’s candidature.

Not satisfied with the judgement of the High Court, Ogewu proceeded on appeal to the Appeal Court and the upper court restored his mandate.

Egbodo again appealed the judgement to the nation’s apex court where the matter had been pending until Friday when Ogewu finally triumphed to become the authentic candidate of the APC in Saturday’s election.

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has said that it would be carrying out a special monitoring of public officers’ participation in the conduct of the 2023 general elections.

CCB Chairman, Prof. Isah Mohammed, made known while briefing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that the monitoring exercise which would begin today, is a commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s readiness to leave a legacy of delivering the freest, fairest and credible election in the history of the country.

He added that the bureau would be working with relevant stakeholders to ensure it get its desired results in the 36 states and the FCT.

“We shall observe whether or not a public officer in this exercise has put himself or herself in a position where his or her personal interest conflicts with the duties and responsibilities assigned to him or her.

“We shall observe whether or not an officer in this exercise asks for or accepts any benefit of any kind in the discharge of his or her duties.

“Observe whether or not officers in this exercise receive any inducement or bribe in the discharge of this exercise.

“And we shall observe whether or not a public officer in this exercise abuses his or her office or does any act prejudicial to the rights of any other person contrary to electoral principles and practices,” he said.

He added that those found wanting would be investigated and such cases would be referred to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for onward prosecution and conviction. (NAN)

By Stanley Onyekwere

As part of efforts to make FCT roads safe, especially during the 2023 Presidential elections the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) has disclosed the deployment of a total of 507 officers to man the roads during and after today’s elections.