APC may appeal court decision on Rivers State poll

Nigeria’s ruling All Progressive Congress may appeal the decision of a federal high court which barred the party from fielding candidates to vie for elective positions in the 2019 general elections in Rivers State.

“We are currently studying the decision of the court. We will make our position public in due course,” APC’s spokesperson, Malam Lanre Issa-Onillu said on Monday.

The federal high court in Port Harcourt presided over by Kolawole Omotosho Monday also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising any candidates of the APC for the poll.

Two factions, one faction loyal to the minister of transportation Rotimi Amaechi and the other loyal to serving senator, Magnus Abe, had conducted parallel primaries that produced two sets of candidates.

While the faction loyal Ameachi produced Tonye Cole as its the state governorship candidate, the other loyal to Abe, produced him as its own candidate.

The national secretariat of the APC, however, forwarded Cole’s name to INEC.

In a suit filed by Abe, the court declared that the APC, for failing to respect the law, must bear the consequences of her disobedience to the law.

Justice Omotosho stated that the direct and indirect primaries of the Rivers State APC were illegal, null and void.

The court further declared that both the direct and indirect primaries were held during the pendency of a suit at the Rivers State High Court.