Kwara: Balogun-Fulani led APC heads for Supreme Court

Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin

The Ishola Balogun- Fulani led All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara state said it has filed an appeal before the Supreme Court on the ruling of the Appeal court, Ilorin division which recognised AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as APC gubernatorial candidate in the state. The State Public Relation Officer of the party, Dr Dele Kayode in a statement said the Tuesday’s court of Appeal’s ruling was in respect of the interlocutory appeal lodged against the order of amendment of the originating summon made by the state High Court. He said the Appeal Court ruling did not affirm the Bolarinwa led executive of the party in the state. Kayode said the appeal had two legs interlocutory and main appeal, and it is awaiting the final judgement on the main appeal. The Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin had on Tuesday upheld the nomination of AbdulRazaq as Kwara APC gubernatorial candidate, setting aside an earlier ruling by the state High Court. The appeal court also held that state High Courts lack powers to entertain any suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In a unanimous decision on the interlocutory appeals filed by the APC, Justice Hamma Akawu Barka, who read the ruling, said the originating summons by the Ishola Balogun-Fulani’s faction of the APC was not sealed by the registry and that robs the court of jurisdiction. He upheld all the four grounds of appeal filed by the APC and set aside the ruling of the Kwara State High Court which was given on October 24, 2018.