Justice Ayuwah Phoebe of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has adjourned to the 7th of December 2022 for judgement in a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State seeking to disqualify the House of Assembly candidates of Accord Party (AP).
The case was adjourned for judgement after the trial judge listened to all the arguments and adopted the final written addresses of Counsels for both PDP and the AP.
First defendant in the matter, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) told the court that it monitored the Assembly primaries of Accord Party after the party notified it about the date and venue of the exercise
Counsel for INEC ,N.A BAWA ,in the suit filed by the Rivers PDP against the AP and its twenty seven House of Assembly candidates for next year’s elections, said the primary by the AP complied with Sections of the Electoral Act which permitted consensus.
On their parts, Counsels for AP ABDULLAHAMEED MOHAMMED and that of the Twenty Seven House of Assembly candidates, ABIODU OWONIKOKO in their adoptions of final written addresses argued that the suit was statute barred and that the plaintiff failed to identify the constituencies of the defendants amongst other errors and asked the court to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit.
Also Read: Wike dares Ayu to stop Ortom, other PDP candidates not supporting Atiku
In his defense, counsels to PDP, Emmanuel Ukala and Dike Udenna, argued and adopted the final written addresses in both preliminary objections and originating summons and asked the court to uphold their prayers and disqualify all the state Assembly candidates of AP.
On his part, the Governorship candidate of AP, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, expressed concerns over the antics of the Rivers State government.
In a separate suit filed by PDP against National Assembly candidates of AP , the presiding Judge, Justice STEPHEN DAYLOP-PAM adjourned till the 14th of November, 2022 for definite hearing.
(Editor, Omor Bazuaye)
