Ugochukwu Iwuchukwu
A Federal High court in Port Harcourt has nullified the direct and indirect primaries conducted by the All Progressives Congress APC in Rivers State.
The presiding Judge, Justice Omotosho declared that the indirect primaries that brought Tonye Cole were conducted against a court order.
He declared the primaries as null and void and hereby set aside the primaries conducted by the Ojukaye Amachree led faction.
The court also set aside the direct primaries of Magnus Abe because the National Executive Committee of APC did not participate or supervise their primaries.
He declared that the Henry Odike’s faction does not have the right to nominate any candidate for 2019general elections.
The court also restrains INEC from accepting Tonye Cole as APC governorship candidate or any candidate from the Ojukaye led faction of APC for the 2019 election.
In a similar judgment, the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has granted the prayers of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Rivers State seeking to stop the APC from presenting any candidate for the 2019 general elections.
The PDP has gone to court to stop the APC from fielding any candidate for non-compliant of the electoral act.
The presiding judge Justice James Omotosho stated that the APC is not entitled to nominate any candidate for the 2019 general elections in Rivers State due to the inability of the APC to obey court orders during the conduct of their primaries.
The court declared that all the nominations of APC in the governorship, senator, House of Reps and State Houses of Assembly are null and void.
He also mandated INEC not to receive any nominations put forward by the APC.
Our Correspondent also reports that the Presiding Judge appealed to all political gladiators to abide by the court judgment.
In the meantime, the lawyer of PDP in the matter, DIKEÂ UDENNAÂ said the judgment is a victory for the rule of law.
Meanwhile, the lawyer of Senator Magnus Abe faction of APC, HENRY BELLO said the outcome of the judgment is the consequence of some persons trying to impose candidates on the party.
He said the judgment clearly states that the APC in Rivers State does not have any candidate in the 2019 general elections.
The lawyer to the Ojukaye Flag Amachree faction, EMENIKE EBETE said his clients will appeal the case immediately they get the judgment.
EMENIKE EBETE also said that Tonye Cole is free to continue his campaign as the governorship candidate of APC.
