Court disqualifies 16 Assembly candidates from Rivers APC
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has disqualified 16 All-Progressive Congressional House of Assembly candidates from running in the 2023 election for failing to comply with the new law election.
The trial judge, Judge Mohammed Adamu, handed down his decision on Friday, following a lawsuit filed by the People's Democratic Party for failure to control the APC's legislative primary by the National Electoral Commission independent in case number FHC/PH/CS/152/2022.
The communes and constituencies concerned are: Obio/Akpor 1 and 2, Andoni, Okrika, West Ahoada, Khana1 and 2, PH 1, 2 and 3, Etche 1 and 2 Oyigbo, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.
In a quick reaction, Rivers APC's 2023 Election Campaign Council spokesman Sogbeye Eli said he was surprised by the ruling but said the party would never break apart despite being stretched by anti-democratic forces.
Eli, in a statement made available to reporters, urged party loyalists and his many supporters of his candidates in the affected constituencies not to despair or get agitated.
He said the party had appealed to overturn the judgment and restore the candidates' terms ahead of the election, noting that the APC would be on the ballot in the state.
The statement reads: "The CPA's 2023 Election Campaign Council received with surprise news of another judgment from the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt this afternoon ordering the disqualification of our candidates for the Rivers State Assembly in the 16th State Constituencies for the March 11, 2023 General Election.
“Rendering judgment in the case brought by the PDP; PDP v. INEC and 33 others (FHC/PH/CS/152/2022), Judge Turaki Mohammed ruled in favor of the plaintiffs for failure to monitor the APC legislative primary by INEC in Andoni, Etche Constituency 1 & 2, Tai, Gokana, Oyigbo, Eleme, Port Harcourt Constituency 1, 2 & 3, Khana Constituency 1 & 2, Okrika, Ahoada West and Obio/ Akpor Constituency 1 & 2.
"With this verdict, only candidates for Ahoada East 1 & 2, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni 1 & 2, Emohua, Degema, Akuku Toru 1 & 2, Asari Toru 1 & 2, Bonny, Ikwerre, Omuma, Opobo /Nkoro, Abua/Odual and Ogu/Bolo were spared in judgment.
"In these circumstances, the Campaign Council is once again obligated to urge the party faithful and the millions of Rivers residents supporting our candidates in the affected constituencies not to despair or become agitated while that we are appealing to overturn the judgment and restore our candidates before the elections.
“We recall that the same CENI had presented evidence to prove that the Commission had monitored the APC primary before another judge of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Division, in another case challenging the eligibility of our candidates for the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives).
"The enemies of democracy in our state who are afraid to meet us at the polls are out to break our spirits and force a fait accompli on the Rivers electorate who support our candidates.
“But they failed. We will contest the next election at all levels and win after overturning this judgment, as the constitution allows the APC.”
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A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has disqualified 16 All-Progressive Congressional House of Assembly candidates from running in the 2023 election for failing to comply with the new law election.
The trial judge, Judge Mohammed Adamu, handed down his decision on Friday, following a lawsuit filed by the People's Democratic Party for failure to control the APC's legislative primary by the National Electoral Commission independent in case number FHC/PH/CS/152/2022.
The communes and constituencies concerned are: Obio/Akpor 1 and 2, Andoni, Okrika, West Ahoada, Khana1 and 2, PH 1, 2 and 3, Etche 1 and 2 Oyigbo, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.
In a quick reaction, Rivers APC's 2023 Election Campaign Council spokesman Sogbeye Eli said he was surprised by the ruling but said the party would never break apart despite being stretched by anti-democratic forces.
Eli, in a statement made available to reporters, urged party loyalists and his many supporters of his candidates in the affected constituencies not to despair or get agitated.
He said the party had appealed to overturn the judgment and restore the candidates' terms ahead of the election, noting that the APC would be on the ballot in the state.
The statement reads: "The CPA's 2023 Election Campaign Council received with surprise news of another judgment from the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt this afternoon ordering the disqualification of our candidates for the Rivers State Assembly in the 16th State Constituencies for the March 11, 2023 General Election.
“Rendering judgment in the case brought by the PDP; PDP v. INEC and 33 others (FHC/PH/CS/152/2022), Judge Turaki Mohammed ruled in favor of the plaintiffs for failure to monitor the APC legislative primary by INEC in Andoni, Etche Constituency 1 & 2, Tai, Gokana, Oyigbo, Eleme, Port Harcourt Constituency 1, 2 & 3, Khana Constituency 1 & 2, Okrika, Ahoada West and Obio/ Akpor Constituency 1 & 2.
"With this verdict, only candidates for Ahoada East 1 & 2, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni 1 & 2, Emohua, Degema, Akuku Toru 1 & 2, Asari Toru 1 & 2, Bonny, Ikwerre, Omuma, Opobo /Nkoro, Abua/Odual and Ogu/Bolo were spared in judgment.
"In these circumstances, the Campaign Council is once again obligated to urge the party faithful and the millions of Rivers residents supporting our candidates in the affected constituencies not to despair or become agitated while that we are appealing to overturn the judgment and restore our candidates before the elections.
“We recall that the same CENI had presented evidence to prove that the Commission had monitored the APC primary before another judge of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Division, in another case challenging the eligibility of our candidates for the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives).
"The enemies of democracy in our state who are afraid to meet us at the polls are out to break our spirits and force a fait accompli on the Rivers electorate who support our candidates.
“But they failed. We will contest the next election at all levels and win after overturning this judgment, as the constitution allows the APC.”
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