Four chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kogi State have sued the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, requesting for the setting aside of the delegates’ list submitted by the party to the commission for the nomination of its governorship candidate for the November 11 election.
Two of the applicants, Mr Realwan Okpanachi and Yahaya Nuhu, through a suit filed before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court 9, Abuja, are seeking a mandatory injunction directing the APC to hold and conduct congresses scheduled for April 14, 2023.
In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/329/2023, dated and filed March 8 by their counsel, Chief Ogwu Onoja, SAN, which was obtained by newsmen on Thursday, the applicants also urged the court to declare special congresses for ward delegates for purposes of nominating the party’s governorship candidate preparatory for the election.
Two interested and registered members of the APC, Citizen Akwu Umar and Mustapha Idoko, through a motion brought by their Counsel, Moses Ebute SAN, sought to join the suit at the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday.
The presiding judge granted their prayers after their counsel moved the motion.
The plaintiffs added in their prayers before the court that the delegates list submitted to INEC by APC in Kogi be rendered invalid, null, void and should be set aside in the absence of the special ward congresses as required by the APC guidelines in nominating a governorship candidate.
The plaintiffs quoted their prayers to be in line with the provisions of Section 5(b) (i) of the Electoral Act, 2022, Article 13.13(iii) of APC Constitution, 2022 (as amended) and the guidelines formulated by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party for the conduct of election of delegates for the nomination of a candidate for Kogi governorship poll.
Justice Omotosho directed the parties in the suit to amend their processes and adjourned the matter until March 30 for hearing.