Court Rules Out AA From Contesting In Kogi/Bayelsa State Governorship Election

The Action Alliance has been ruled out of the forthcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states by Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday.

Justice Inyang Ekwo in his ruling said the party failed to comply with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s guidelines that all political parties must have submitted their nomination forms by 6 pm on September 9, 2019.

The governorship candidate of the party, Dr Samuel Alfa and his Bayelsa State counterpart, Ebi Peretiemo, had jointly filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1100/19.

They contended in the suit that has complied with the provisions of Section 85(1) to (2) and Section 31(1) Electoral Act, INEC could not have validly rejected their nominations for the forthcoming elections in the two states.

The party in their statement stated that they were at the headquarters of INEC on September 9, 2019, to submit Forms CF 001 and CF 002, among other nomination forms for the two candidates.

AA revealed that they were given tag No. 15 but an official of INEC in charge of the form collection refused to accept their forms when it got to their turn.

Justice Ekwo in his ruling stated that the plaintiffs failed to provide evidence that they were on the premises of INEC or attempted to submit their forms before 6 pm on September 9, 2019.

Justice Ekwo said, “I hold that their case lacks merit. The first plaintiff (AA), having not complied with the guidelines and regulations of INEC that it must submit its candidates’ nomination forms on or before 6pm on September 9, 2019, is ineligible to field candidates in the November 2019 governorship election in Kogi and Bayelsa states.“