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The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja has affirmed Donald Duke as the authentic presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The court set aside the ruling of the FCT High Court which stopped Duke from parading himself as candidate of the party.
The three man panel led by Justice Abdul Aboki held that the application to stop Duke is illegal and unconstitional and ought not to have been entertained by the High Court.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had listed no presidential candidate for the SDP in its final list of presidential, senatorial and House of Reps candidates released last week for the February elections.
The party had failed to resolve the tussle between Prof. Jerry Gana, a former Minister of Information, and Duke, a former Governor of Cross River State, who are both claiming to be the authentic presidential candidates of the party.
Duke is the prefered choice of the party but the High Court had recognied Gana. Thursday’s Appeal Court ruling has now turned the tide in favour of Duke.