The suit filed by Senator Emma Nwaka, erstwhile Abia State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the disqualification of the party’s governorship candidate for the March 18. 2023 election, Chief Ambrose Okechukwu Ahiwe, has been adjourned to April 19 for hearing.

Hon Justice E. N. Anyadike of the Federal High Court Umuahia adjourned the case yesterday, Tuesday, March 14, after being satisfied with proof of service on the defendants.

The court had on March 8 given an order for substituted service of the originating summons and other court processes on Ahiwe.

News Expressreports that the Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/226/2023 has PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the other defendants. Nwaka is challenging the emergence of Ahiwe on the grounds that having not participated in the governorship primary election of May 25, 2022, it was wrong for the party to allow him to take part in the rerun primary election of February 4, 2023.

Filed on February 16 at a Federal High Court in the FCT Abuja, the suit was later transferred to Umuahia.

Nwaka has assured his supporters that there is nothing to worry about regarding the adjourning of the hearing of the suit till after the forthcoming governorship election. He recently toldNews Express: “Being a pre-election matter, the outcome of the election will not affect it in anyway. If we are able to prove our case in court, the defendant would be caused to vacate his position if he was successful in the election. Under the new Electoral Act, this case must be concluded within 180 days.”