Governorship candidate of the Accord Partyin Rivers State, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs and his counterpart of the Action Alliance, AA, Dr Dawari George have been given the nod by a federal high court in Port Harcourt to contest next year’s gubernatorial election.
Justice P.I. Ajoku, while ruling in the suit No: FHC/PH/CS/177/2022 between Chief Aleruchi Williams and INEC said on Tuesday that the AA and its candidate could not be stopped from contesting the March 2023 election.
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The judge said the plaintiff filed his Originating Summons out of time and therefore, barred by limitation of time since pre-election and elections matters are “sui generis” and declared that by Section 285(9) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the case failed woefully to satisfy the Constitutional requirements as demanded.
The Honourable Court also held that the Plaintiff lacked the locus standi to bring or institute the case before the Court and in conclusion, dismissed the case in favour of Dr. Dawari George.
The court also held that it lacked the power to interfere in the internal affairs of political parties in nomination of candidates. It, therefore, affirmed Dr. Dawari Ibietela George as the rightful and legitimate governorship candidate of the Action Alliance, AA, for the 2023 general elections in Rivers State.
Justice Ajoku also told the Plaintiff that he didn’t participate in the 2nd primary of the Action Alliance which held on the 10th of August, 2022, and so could not complain of exclusion from the said primary.
He averred that AA conducted its fresh governorship primary that produced George on the said date in compliance with all electoral demands. He added that since the Plaintiff was properly communicated by the party as evidence before the Honourable Court proved, the plaintiff had no legal standpoint to claim ignorance of the said primary.
In another suit against George which was instituted by Abednego Benjamin Oli and two others, the presiding judge, Mr Justice E.A. Obile, dismissed the suit upon withdrawal by the plaintiff.
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With the two cases determined by the Courts, the candidacy of Dr. Dawari Ibietela George to participate in the March 11, 2023 governorship election, under the banner of Action Alliance, AA, in Rivers State, has been authenticated.
With this, the contest for the next governor of Rivers State is open between the PDP, SDP, AA and the Accord Party. The APC is still battling to be on the ballot. But the PDP will not be the only party on the ballot in the state anymore.
