An Anambra High Court presided over by Justice Hope Ozo has ruled that only a political party can decide who should be its flag bearer for an election.

Justice Ozo made the declaration while delivering judgment in a suit brought by Mr. Ernest Eze against the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the state chairman of the party, Chief Mike Kwentoh, over the candidature of the party in the recently conducted local government election for Orumba South in the state. He said that though the plaintiff won the primaries conducted by APGA, there is a standing apex court judgment that it is the party that decides its candidates.

The plaintiff, Mr. Eze, had gone to court to challenge the nomination of Mr. John Onyeakpa by APGA, and his acceptance by Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) after the plaintiff had scored the highest number of votes during the August 17, 2013 primaries of the party for the council election.

The respondents, in turn, filed an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the pre-election matter and non joinder, arguing that the matter was the party’s internal matter.

•Photo shows Anambra APGA Chairman, Chief Mike Kwentoh.