The Abakaliki Division of the Federal High Court has affirmed the former leader of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Joseph Nwobasi, as the authentic candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for Ezza North/Ishielu federal constituency in the 2023 general election.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Fatun Riman, the court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept and publish the name of the plaintiff (Nwobasi) as the candidate of APGA for Ezza North/Ishielu federal constituency.

The court agreed with the plaintiff that Edwin Nwonu, the incumbent member representing the constituency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is not a member of APGA and cannot substitute Nwobasi as APGA candidate for the 2023 general election.

The court barred the leadership of APGA, Nwonu or their agents from further attempts to substitute the name of the plaintiff as the candidate of the party ahead of the election.