Anambra State governor-elect, Chukwuma Soludo, and his deputy governor-elect, Onyeka Ibezim, have been declared validly elected by the Abuja Division of theFederal High Court.

Ruling on Wednesday, the court dismissed a suit challenging the duo’s qualification for the November 6 Anambra governorship election.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo, dismissed the suit on the grounds that it lacked merit.

Mr Taiwo, who described the suit as a waste of judicial time, said the court could not be used to truncate the country’s democracy.

Messrs Soludo and Ibezim were elected on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

The plaintiffs in the suit are Adindu Valentine and Egwudike Chukwuebuka.

The duo had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Soludo and Ibezim as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.

The plaintiffs are contending that Mr Soludo provided false information in the affidavit (Form EC9) that he submitted to INEC and should be deemed unqualified to stand for election.

Mr Taiwo, in his ruling however, awarded a N2 million fine to be paid jointly and severally by the applicants to APGA, Mr Soludo and Mr Ibezim.

NAN