Bassey Otu was declared the genuine governorship candidate for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Cross River State by a Federal High Court in Calabar on Monday.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu made the declaration while delivering judgment in a suit in Calabar, holding that political parties retain the right to choose their governorship candidate.
Owan Enoh, Otu’s challenger and an APC governorship aspirant in the state, had approached the court after the primary earlier this year to seek Otu’s disqualification as the APC’s governorship candidate.
However, the judge stated in her decision
“That a candidate contesting for the position of governor must be a Nigerian, meet the stipulated age requirement and have basic qualification according to the constitution.”
According to her, the selection of a political party’s governorship candidate is and always will be the right of the political party.
Months of speculation and division in the Cross River APC have been put to rest as the party prepares for the 2023 elections.