The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt on Friday set aside a judgement of the Federal High Court which disqualified the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Tonye Cole over alleged dual citizenship and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.


The APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission were also parties in the suit which was filed at the High Court by the Peoples Democratic Party.

The Court of Appeal described the PDP as a “meddlesome interloper”.

The three-man panel of appeal in a unanimous judgment said the PDP lacks the locus standi to challenge the APC, its Governorship Candidate and INEC on the conduct of the congresses and primary elections which brought in Cole as the candidate.


On the issue of dual citizenship, the Appeal Court in the judgment read by Justice Olabode Adegbehingbe on behalf of Justice Joseph Ikyegh ruled that the PDP lacks the legal right to drag INEC to court in a pre-election matter.

The panel said the Supreme Court’s decision on the issue of citizenship regarding electoral matters is final.

Speaking to journalists outside the court, Counsel to the APC, Chimenem Jerome described the judgement as “a watershed in political jurisprudence”.

kcmichael:


https://dailypost.ng/2023/01/20/court-dismisses-judgement-against-rivers-apc-guber-candidate-tonye-cole/

post=120222182:
God bless Rivers State.

A better Nigeria all around is all we want at [color=#006600][/color].

We Rise

kcmichael:


https://dailypost.ng/2023/01/20/court-dismisses-judgement-against-rivers-apc-guber-candidate-tonye-cole/

kennyz247:
Wike will not be happy with this development

KingKO22:
Good one

River State is BATIFIED
.

Beautiful people of Nigeria rooting for Asiwaju of Africa

The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, on Friday, affirmed Patrick Tonye Cole as the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the forthcoming March 11, 2023 Election.

Recall that the suit was instituted by the Rivers Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) asking the Court to disqualify the Candidate:

-On grounds of dual citizenship for voluntarily acquiring citizenship of United Kingdom and declaration of allegiance to same country,

-For not being duly nominated by his political party and non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.

-INEC not monitoring the delegates' election that produced him.

Justice Emmanuel Adema Obile of the Federal High Court in Rivers State, in November 2022, upheld the arguments of the plaintiff (now respondent) and subsequently sacked Cole.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, Cole approached the penultimate Court for a favourable judgement.

Justice Olabode Abimbola Adegbehingbe JCA who read the lead judgement on behalf of the three-man panel, held that the PDP lacked the locus standi to challenge another Party, its Governorship Candidate and INEC on the conduct of the congresses and primary election that brought in their candidate.

Adegbehingbe JCA noted that the earlier Supreme Court decision on the issue of dual citizenship on electoral matters is final. He subsequently set aside the judgement of the trial Court and upheld the appeal.

The Court also awarded a cost of N10m against the PDP.

kcmichael:


https://dailypost.ng/2023/01/20/court-dismisses-judgement-against-rivers-apc-guber-candidate-tonye-cole/

sageb:


@Mrksquare Another banger

uzhiyeka:
Peter Obi for president
Toye Cole for Governor