Supreme Court Ruling: Confusion as ex-presidential candidate says APC has no candidate for Anambra election

Chief Peter Ameh, a former presidential candidate on the platform of Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA), has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has no candidate for the forthcoming Anambra governorship election.

Daily Sun reports that he claimed that the judgment of the Supreme Court on the Ondo state governorship election indicates that the nomination of the candidate by the APC for the election is null and void.

Legit.ng gathered that in a statement he issued in Abuja on Thursday, July 29, Ameh, who is the national secretary of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), argued that since the position of the party’s national chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni, under litigation signed the form, the nomination of the APC candidate is an effort in nullity.

He said: “Because of Supreme Court judgment on the status of Mai Buni as national chairman of APC, one could say that the judgment by extension has technically ruled APC out of Anambra November 6th, 2021 guber election. It is a very simple logic to understand.

“He cannot hold the position of the party’s national chairman as an elected governor so even if the APC wins, the election could be nullified on the grounds relating to section 183 of the constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended because you can’t put something on nothing and expect it to stand."

Ameh further stated that everything done under Buni's leadership is now under constitutional question and also subject to litigation and could be reversed in court based on the judgment of the Supreme Court.

He added that he believes the Supreme Court played a fast one on the Ondo case for claiming that because he was not joined in the matter.

According to him, the Supreme Court merely found a technical mechanism in the lacuna and exploited it as an escape route to save Ondo state for APC, saying that the case would have still been determined on merit without joining Buni.

Ameh stated: “My argument is centered on the point that he signed/approved all documents and processes that will lead to placing the APC on the ballot for Anambra November 6th election. Section 183 is very clear and unambiguous.

“Any law that is inconsistent with the provision of the constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended is voided automatically. The provisions of the constitution shall have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria."