You can contest in next year’s election – Court to APC candidates in Rivers

Forum 1 year ago

You can contest in next year’s election – Court to APC candidates in Rivers

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ruled that the National Assembly candidates of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State can take part in the 2023 general elections.

The Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State had filed a suit seeking the court to disqualify the APC National Assembly candidates for alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act in the conduct of the party primaries.

The PDP prayed the court to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission to delist the names of the APC candidates from the election.

But the presiding judge, Justice Turaki Muhammed on Wednesday struck out the matter for lacking in merits.

The judge also premised his ruling on a court rule that requires the lower court to refrain from matters that have been decided by the appellate court.

The judge also premised his judgement on a decision of the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt which upturned his earlier judgement on a similar matter.

The lawyer to the APC, Emenike Ebete said the judgement has given the APC candidates the freedom to take part in the elections next year.

Counsel to PDP declined to comment on the judgement