Court Sacks 16 Rivers APC State Assembly Candidates (Full List)

Sixteen candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) contesting for the 2023 elections have been sacked by a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The ruling was handed down on Friday by the presiding judge, Justice Turaki Muhammed.

The court order followed the suit instituted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in which it argued that the APC primaries that produced the candidates were not duly monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The affected candidates are from the following constituencies: Andoni, Etche 1 and 2, Tai, Gokana, Eleme, Port Harcourt City 1, 2 and 3, Khana 1 and 2, Okrika, Ahoada West, and Obio-Akpor 1 and 2 constituencies.

Justice Muhammed held that the PDP was able to prove its case beyond any reasonable doubt.

The Judge however cleared seventeen other candidates to participate in the election for their constituencies.

Those cleared are Emohua, Ahoada East 1 and 2, Ikwerre, Omuma, Ogu Bolo, Bonny, Asari Toru, Akuku Toru 1 and 2, Ogba Egbema Ndoni 1 and 2, Opobo-Nkoru, Abual-Odua, Oyigbo and Degema constituencies.

Reacting to the court order shortly after the judgment, counsel to the APC, Emenike Ebete, and that of the candidates, Chimenem Jerome, said they would take the matter before the Appeal Court.

Naija News understands a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had earlier dismissed a similar suit by the APC against the PDP House of Assembly candidates.

The Judge said the court lacks the jurisdiction to hear the suit.