The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed the appeals brought by Chief Chris Uba and Dr Obinna Uzor challenging the election of Ifeanyi Ubah as the senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District.
In a unanimous judgment read by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, the apex court held that the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) lacks the territorial jurisdiction to determine a matter that arose from the primary election conducted in Anambra State, as according to him the cause of action emanated from Anambra State and not the FCT.
At the hearing of the appeals brought by Chris Uba and Obinna Uzor, their counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi, SAN, for Uba, and Chino Obiagwu, SAN, for Uzor, they urged the Supreme Court to set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal, which had voided the judgment of Justice Bello Kawu of the FCT High Court.
They predicated their case on the grounds that the FCT High Court has territorial jurisdiction over pre-election matters among other issues raised in the appeal as, according to them, what determines the cause of action is the originating process.