Only Governorship Candidates Can Determine Running Mates – Supreme Court

The Supreme Court in Abuja has clarified that only a nominated governorship candidate of a political party can determine who becomes the party’s deputy governorship candidate. This was made clear in a judgment delivered on Friday in an appeal filed by a former deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Igwe Phillip Okey.

Okey sought to set aside the August 31 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which affirmed the July 3 judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja dismissing his suit seeking to compel the PDP to retain him as its deputy governorship candidate for the last election.

In the lead judgment, the Apex Court determined the sole question identified for resolution against Okey. It held that the Justices of the Court of Appeal were right to have held that by the provision of Section 187(1) of the Constitution, it is the constitutional right of the governorship candidate to nominate his/her deputy governorship candidate. The right to appoint a deputy governorship candidate is personal to the governorship candidate.

The Supreme Court described the case by Okey as a wild goose chase and affirmed the August 31 judgment of the Court of Appeal, dismissing the appeal and awarding N200,000 cost against the appellant.

Preparatory to the 2023 governorship election, the PDP conducted its primary, where Prof. Uchenna Ikonne emerged as the party’s governorship candidate and nominated Okey as the party’s deputy governorship candidate for the election. However, before the election, Prof. Ikonne died, prompting the PDP to conduct a fresh primary where Ambrose Ahiwe was nominated as the party’s new governorship candidate and chose Chukwudiebube Jasper Uche as his running mate.

The Federal High Court in Abuja held, among others, that Okey’s suit was without merit and dismissed it, which was affirmed by the Court of Appeal. Okey appealed to the Supreme Court, which upheld the previous decisions.