Zambia's high court intervened amid political party in-fighting over who to nominate to succeed President Michael Chilufya Sata, pictured, who died Oct. 28, 2014. UPI/Monika Graff | License Photo

LUSAKA, Zambia, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Zambia's high court, asked to settle a dispute concerning the ruling Patriotic Front's presidential nominee, has ruled Defense Minister Edgar Lungu is the lawful party candidate.

Legal intervention was sought after the fractured Patriotic Front became split over who to nominate to succeed President Michael Sata who died Oct. 28.


One faction had already nominated Lungu but on Tuesday, another faction selected economist Miles Sampa as its candidate for the January presidential election.

"The purported general conference of 1 December at which the said honorable Miles Sampa was elected as another party president of the Patriotic Front be declared illegal, null and void and all decisions made thereof are quashed," the judge announced in his ruling.

Sampa said he would appeal the court's decision.