Court Nullifies APC Congresses to Elect Candidate For Kogi Gov. Election
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday nullified and set aside the Ward and Local Government congresses purportedly conducted on February 7 by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kogi to nominate its candidate for the November governorship election.
The court voided the two congresses because they were not conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and the Constitution of the APC.
Delivering judgment in a suit instituted by a group of aggrieved APC members led by Realwan Okpanachi, Justice James Omotosho barred the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from using the unlawful delegates list that emanated from unlawful congresses for the party to select its governorship flagbearer.
Justice Omotosho, while nullifying the purported Ward and Local Government congresses of February 7, ordered APC leadership to conduct fresh ones that would be in compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022 and the party’s constitution.
In the judgment, Justice Omotosho agreed with the plaintiffs that the APC in Kogi State failed to conduct Ward and Local Government congresses as stipulated by relevant provisions of the law.
The Judge held that during the trial of the case, the APC failed to disclose the venues and time where the purported Ward and Local Government congresses were held and also failed to show the report of INEC officials that purportedly monitored the elections.
Similarly, Justice Omotosho held that the APC failed to produce the result sheet to show the scores recorded by the participants in the purported congresses.
