The Imo State High Court, Owerri, on Thursday reaffirmed Jude Okeke as the authentic National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

The ruling came after Chief Victor Oye had filed an application for a stay of execution on earlier judgment on the matter.

The Court of Appeal, Kano, had last week reaffirmed Oye as the party’s national chairman.

The duo had been battling for APGA’s leadership position for about four months.

Justice Vivian Isiguzo, who delivered the judgment on the applications, also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise all correspondence from Okeke’s faction for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.

While the court granted Oye leave to appeal the judgment, it refused to grant the prayer for stay of execution and reaffirmed its earlier judgment declaring Okeke as APGA authentic chairman.

INEC had earlier on Thursday listed the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo as the party’s candidate for the Anambra election.

The commission dropped Michael Umeoji who was earlier listed as APGA candidate for the election.

While Soludo won the governorship primaries organized by the Oye-led national executive committee, Umeoji secured the party’s ticket in the election conducted by Okeke’s faction.