Appeal Court sitting in Enugu hears the Appeal between Chief Victor Umeh and Senator Uche Ekwunife.

• Adjourns indefinitely; to deliver judgement at a later date.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu on Thursday sat on the Appeal brought to it by Chief Victor Umeh seeking to set aside the Tribunal Judgement of September 9, 2019.

However, before the hearing on Umeh V. Ekwunife’s case commenced, the court addressed a motion brought to it by Barr. Nkem Ekweozor of PPA seeking to be joined in the suit. Giving judgment on the motion, the Justices unanimously struck out Barr. Nkem Ekweozor and PPA’s motion to join in the hearing of the appeal.

The court in its ruling referred to EKWEOZOR’S motion as an embarrassment and a “comedic sideshow” which constitutes an “attempt to come into court through the back door”. The Court further awarded a cost of N300,000 against Barr. Ekweozor, to ensure that he does not repeat such errant conduct in future.

Recall that Barr. Nkem Ekweozor had earlier challenged the election of Senator Uche Ekwunife at the Tribunal, however the lower court struck his case out for lack of merit. Today the Appeal Justices rechoed the decision of the Tribunal and denied Ekweozor and his party application to be joined in Umeh V. Ekwunife.

Kingsley Ubani
Court of Appeal, Enugu Nigeria.