By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA—Justice Evoh Chukwu of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, fixed January 18 to hear a suit challenging the eligibility of the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Umana Okon Umana,  to participate in the re-run governorship poll in the state.

The suit, by a chieftain of APC in the state, Mr. Akpan Udoedeghe, through his lawyer, Mr. Mahmud Magaji, SAN, is contending  that Umana was not validly nominated ab-initio by the APC to  participate in the Akwa Ibom State governorship election.

He told the court that Umana was not a registered member of the party as at the day he bought his form to contest the April 11, 2015 governorship election that was eventually nullified  by the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja.

The plaintiff insisted that Umana, whom he said was previously a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  neither registered at the ward level of the party nor was he granted a waiver  prior to the governorship poll.

He told the court that as at the time APC ticket was handed to him Umana was still in court contesting for the governorship ticket of the PDP.