The leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Benue State on Wednesdayrescinded its position that Prof. Steve Torkuma Ugbah, was not a governorship aspirant on its platform.
The party stated this position before a Makurdi High Court in Benue State, presided over by Justice Theresa Igoche.
The state Chairman of the APC, Abba Yaro, speaking through his lead counsel, Omale Omale, told the packed court: “We concede everything.
“Ugbah is a candidate in the primaries and will continue to be.
“We have no problem with that.
“And we are not contesting it.”
Yaro had on December 3, 2014 granted press interviews in which he announced the exclusion of Prof. Ugbah on the grounds of “zoning.”
The primaries were earlier slated for December 5, 2014 and later rescheduled for December 5, 2014.
Following the Yaro press interview, which went unrefuted for three days, Ugbah on December 5, 2014 sought legal redress.
The court had granted him an injunction restraining the APC from going ahead with the primaries until the determination of the substantive suit, which it fixed for December 9, 2014.
However, when the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, Justice A.O. Onum declined hearing the matter on “personal grounds,” and returned the file to the State Chief Judge, who re-assigned it.
The respondents in the suit are: Yaro and the APC.
When the case resumed on Wednesday before Justice Igoche of Court 7, Ugbah’s lead lawyer, Barrister Simon Orkuma, told the court that his client was seeking answers to three questions as well as seven reliefs.
But again, when the APC lead lawyer stood up, he told the court: “We are conceding everything.
“We have no counter affidavit.
“We are letting everything go.
“Ugbah is a candidate for the primaries.
“And he remains so.”
Giving her judgment, Justice Igoche said: “It is trite in law that where there is no counter-affidavit to any originating summons or any opposing motion from the Respondents’ counsels, the claims therein are deemed admitted and conceded on behalf of the Respondents.
“I hereby enter judgment in favour of the Applicant. He is qualified to contest for the governorship primaries on the APC platform.”
On a lighter note, she told the parties: “I wish you peaceful primaries.”
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