S’Court dismisses ACPN, FJP’s appeal challenging Kogi, Bayelsa guber polls
The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed appeals filled by Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) and Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
ACPN and FJP had instituted separate cases over their party’s unlawful exclusion from the November 16, 2019, Kogi and Bayelsa states governorship elections.
Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, who led a five-man panel of justices, dismissed the cases haven been withdrawn by the appellants counsel.
Ngwuta, who described the cases as academics and therefore cannot be heard said, `this case haven been withdrawn and no having no objection is hereby dismissed, all parties bear their costs.
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A. Adamson, lead Counsel to both appellants (ACPN and FJP), who had earlier told the panel that his clients came to the apex court to obtain justice eventually withdrew the case.
Mr. S. O Ibrahim counsel to INEC also told the court that he had no objection to the withdrawal of the appeal and equally not asking for cost.
Both parties had claimed that they were unlawfully excluded from the elections even after complying with the election timetable issued by the electoral umpire.
They claimed that their parties conducted their governorship primaries in Lokoja and YenKogi/Bayelsa Election.
Dissatisfied with the lower court’s decision both parties have gone to the apex court seeking a favourable interpretation of the law.
They had prayed the apex court to enforce their rights to participate in elections, declare all INEC’s actions null and void and order a fresh elections.
The Daily Times recalled that Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court had on Friday, October 25, in the judgment affirmed INEC’s decision rejecting the candidates on the ground that they did meet the deadline.
