The Awka Division of the Court of Appeal has granted Victor Umeh, Anambra Central Senatorial Candidate of the Labour Party, the permission to serve his Notice of Appeal on Senator Uche Ekwunife of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through substituted means.

Alex Ejesieme, counsel to the appellant in a motion experte with Appeal No. CA/AW/24/2023, told the court that the bailiff had made several efforts to serve Ms Ekwunife directly without success.

He accompanied the motion with a 13-paragraph affidavit to support his argument, as well as a bailiff affidavit of attempted service.

Mr Ejesieme described the trial court judgement as “rather unfortunate“ in the light of the numerous decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court on the subject matter.

Justice Hannatu Sankey, Presiding Judge of the Appeal Court, granted that the Notice of Appeal should be posted at the entrance gate of Ms Ekwunife’s Campaign Office situated at the Uche Ekwunife Event Centre, Awka.

Ms Ekwunife and the PDP had gone to the Federal High Court, Awka, to contest the validity of Mr Umeh’s nomination in the Labour Party. 

(NAN)