Silas Onu, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the February 3 Ebonyi South senatorial by-election, says his disqualification from the election was “deliberate and political.”

The Abakaliki Division of the Federal High Court sitting had disqualified the PDP candidate, Mr Onu, in the senatorial by-election for the zone on Thursday.

Delivering the judgment, Justice H.A. Ngajiwa stated that the PDP candidate failed to give INEC 21 days’ notice of congress for the by-election.

In his reaction, Mr Onu said the judgment given two days before the election was to create confusion in the process and ensure that his teaming supporters were discouraged from voting.

The candidate urged his loyalists not to be scared, assuring them he would stand for the election.

“I am going to appeal the judgment disqualifying me. Today, we received a contrived judgment from the federal high court, Abakaliki that PDP did not give INEC 21 days’ notice of congresses for the by-election.

“While we acknowledge that the judgment is contrived and deliberately done for political reasons, we are filing our notice of appeal immediately to ensure that we legally continue our participation in the election.

“Our supporters are called to come out in their numbers and vote for PDP on Saturday, February 3. The federal high court is not the final court in pre-election matters and as such our participation is sacrosanct and our votes will count. God bless the PDP and the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Mr Onu stated.

INEC had fixed a by-election to fill the vacant senatorial seat following David Umahi’s appointment as works minister. 

(NAN)