Appeal Court Dismisses Suit Challenging Ayade’s Senatorial Candidacy
The Court of Appeal in Abuja Division has dismissed a suit challenging the emergence of Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade as candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the Cross River North Senatorial District
The suit was filed by another aspirant Cecilia Adams, who also participated in the primary.
Delivering Judgement, the appellate court led by Justice Stephen Adah unanimously upheld the decision of Justice Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court Abuja.
The appellate court in its judgment dismissed the appeal in its entirety and upheld the decision of the lower court, stating that since the decision of the lower court was not perverse as it reflected the true position of the law, the appellate court had no business interfering with such a judgment.
Adams had lost at the trial court where she sought to challenge the candidature of Governor Ayade for election into the National Assembly.
Having scored zero votes at the primary, she refused to participate in the fresh one conducted on July 14, 2022.
The court dismissed the appeal seeking to set aside the judgment of the trial court and to grant the reliefs sought in its originating summons which among others, was to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise, accept and publish her name as the candidate of the APC for the Cross River North Senatorial District.
