The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to disqualify former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olumide Akpata as the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the September 21 election.
The appellate Court held that the suit instituted by an aggrieved governorship aspirant, Kenneth Imasuangbon lacked cogent and verifiable evidence in the allegations against Akpata.
In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Okon Abang, the Court of Appeal held among others, that Imasuangbon failed to explore internal conflict resolution mechanism of the Labour Party before approaching the Court.
The Court also held that his case was premature in law and cannot be entertained on the ground that conditions precedents were not met.
MUST READ: Perm Sec Resigns, Director,4 Others Suspended As Benue Tackles Indiscipline
The 3-man panel of Justices also held that the appellant failed to tender the disputed results of the February 23 primary election of the party which he claimed to have won and that the claim of Imasuangbon that he was not given official results by Labour Party cannot hold waters.
The Court further held that Imansuangbon’s allegations that Akpata did not sign the Indemnity Form is statute-barred and therefore lacked jurisdiction.
The Appeal Court therefore upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court in Benin delivered by Justice Babatunde Quadiri which had earlier dismissed Imasuangbon’s suit for want of merit.
Imasuangbon had in the suit prayed that Akpata be disqualified as Labour Party gubernatorial candidate on the allegations that he was not qualified to have participated in the poll.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
