A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has fixed 7th of January
2019 for the ruling of a case filed by the People’s Democratic Party,
PDP, seeking the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to
recognise any candidate from the All Progressives Congress, APC, in
Rivers State for the 2019 general elections.
Presiding judge, Justice J. K Omotosho gave the date after hearing the submissions of the parties involved in the matter.
Counsel
to PDP, Ferdinand Orbih who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in his
argument had asked the court to order INEC not to recognise any
candidate of APC in the state and based his argument on decision of the
state high court
But counsel to APC, Olaotakan SAN referred the
Court to Section eighty-seven-one of the Electoral Act which bars
another party from interfering in Internal Party Affairs.
In a
related development, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has
set aside 7th of January 2019 for ruling on a case filed by Senator
Magnus Abe, and forty six others against the Independent National
Electoral Commission and National Working Committee of All Progressives
Congress.
Earlier, the court granted application for joinder by all the candidates of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State.
Meanwhile,
the Tonye Cole campaign organization says they are not worried about
the ruling of the Court of Appeal after striking out their appeal on
Wednesday.
The Chairman of Tonye Cole campaign organization,
Chidi Lloyd said they will continue with their campaign ahead of the
2019 general election.
Lloyd stated that the primaries that brought Tonye Cole as APC gubernatorial candidate was done within the ambits of the law.
“The
Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt today 12-12-18, dismissed the
two applications brought before it by Pst. Tonye Cole & the other
candidates on the one hand & the party executives led by Hon.
Ojukaye Flag- Amachree & his executives on the other hand who were
not parties in the matter before justice chiwendu Nworgu of the port
Harcourt High court but were mentioned in judgement to join the appeal
by the All Progressives Congress challenging the judgement at the
intermediate court as interested parties .
“The special panel also struck out appeal no. CA/PH/198/2018.
Despite
these set backs, it is important to state that, the Apc still has three
subsisting appeals before the court of appeal namely: CA/PH/267/2018
CA/196/ 2018 and another, challenging representation by counsel and the jurisdiction of the court to enterining .
“These
appeals are all still alive and are pending before the court of Appeal,
port Harcourt division and have not been determined.
“Also note
that the Supreme court today, heard some aspects of the the
interlocutory appeal pending before it and have adjourned for judgement
on 8/3/18.
“I therefore, urge you to go about your campaigns
diligently & prayerfuĺ in other to ensure 5 total victory, nothing
great comes great,” he said.
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