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  Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chief Victor Umeh has said the defection of Senator Uche Ekwunife, representing Anambra Central, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) disqualified her from contesting in
the rerun.

Umeh spoke at the weekend in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.The Appeal Court in Enugu State on December 6, 2015, nullified Ekwunife's election on grounds of irregularities and ordered a rerun within 90 days.
But Ekwunife, last Friday, announced her defection from the PDP, under which she contested the annulled election.

Chief Umeh insisted that the Appeal Court's judgment already disqualified Ekwunife from being part of the rerun, saying her defection with the
intention of flying the APC's flag was done in ignorance.
"I think she is exhibiting crass ignorance of the laws. When she is disqualified by the Court of Appeal, there is no way she would be part of the election any longer.

"The law is that the dramatic personae in the previous election will contest the rerun. The Supreme Court, in 2009, in a judgment delivered by Justice Ogbuagu made it clear that a candidate cannot be changed or withdrawn in a rerun because the period of nomination had elapsed and cannot be resurrected under any guise. "So joining the APC in pursuant of a ticket that is not available, is a decision made in ignorance,"� Umeh said.