For violating the new Electoral Act, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, barred 16 APC House of Assembly candidates from standing in the 2023 elections.
Following a lawsuit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party in suit number FHC/PH/CS/152/2022 for the Independent National Electoral Commission’s failure to oversee the APC legislative primary, the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Adamu, issued the decision on Friday.
Obio/Akpor 1 and 2, Andoni, Okrika, Ahoada west, Khana 1 and 2, PH 1 and 2, Etche 1 and 2 Oyigbo, Gokana, Tai, and Eleme are the affected councils and constituencies.
The Rivers APC’s 2023 Elections Campaign Council spokesman, Sogbeye Eli, quickly expressed astonishment at the ruling but assured supporters that the party will persevere despite being put under pressure from anti-democratic elements.
Eli advised party faithful and its thronging supporters of its candidates in the impacted state constituencies not to despair or be disturbed in a message made accessible to newsmen.
He said that the party has filed an appeal in order to overturn the decision and reinstate the candidates’ mandates in advance of the elections, noting that the APC will be on the state’s ballot.
“The 2023 Elections Campaign Council of the APC received the news of another judgement of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt this afternoon ordering the disqualification of our candidates for the Rivers State House of Assembly in 16 State Constituencies for the March 11, 2023 general election with surprise,” the statement read.
In the PDP v. INEC and 33 Others case (FHC/PH/CS/152/2022), Justice Turaki Mohammed rendered a decision in favour of the plaintiffs for the non-monitoring of the APC legislative primary by INEC in the following constituencies: Andoni, Etche Constituency 1 & 2, Tai, Gokana, Oyigbo, Eleme, Port Harcourt Constituency 1, 2 & 3, Khana Constituency 1 & 2, Okrika, Aho.
“With this decision, the only candidates spared in the judgment were those running for Ahoada East 1 and 2, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni 1 and 2, Emohua, Degema, Akuku Toru 1 and 2, Asari Toru 1 and 2, Bonny, Ikwerre, Omuma, Opobo/Nkoro, Abua/Odual, and Ogu/Bolo.
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“Given the circumstances, the Campaign Council is once again compelled to appeal to party members and the millions of Rivers supporters who are in the affected state constituencies to remain calm and collected as we move forward with our appeal to overturn the decision and reinstate our candidates before the elections.”
“We recall that the same INEC had presented evidence before a different Judge of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Division, in another suit contesting the eligibility of our candidates for the National Assembly to show that the Commission supervised the APC primary” (Senate and the House of Representatives).
The opponents of democracy in our state, who are frightened to confront us at the polls, are out to crush our spirit and impose a fait accompli on the Rivers voters, who are supporting our candidates.
“But they fell short. As permitted by the constitution, the APC will run in the upcoming elections at all levels and win them.”
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