2023: A’Court Reinstate Rivers ADP, ADC Candidates 

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has squashed the judgement of a federal high court that, disqualified the nominations of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the state House of Assembly election. 

Justice Turaki Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, had invalidated the nomination of five ADP candidates and seven ADC candidates for the state House of Assembly election, in a suit instituted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over none compliance with the new electoral act. 

However, in a unanimous judgment by a three-man panel of appeal, led by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, the court granted the prayers of the appellants (ADP and ADC).

In the judgment, Justice Kolawole ruled that the lower court ordinarily should not have entertained the suit, insisting that the two political parties’ candidates were validly nominated and could participate in the general elections. 

With the judgement, the affected constituencies of ADP in Emohua, Eleme, Bonny, Omuma, and Oyigbo State House of Assembly, now have the constitutional right to participate in the poll.

Speaking to newsmen outside the courtroom, one of the lawyers to PDP, Dike Udenna, said they would obtain a copy of the judgement and advise their client accordingly.

On his part, counsel to ADP, Donald Otogbo, said the judgment has confirmed that democracy was at work in the state.