Court Dismisses Suit Seeking Achonu’s Exclusion From Imo Gov’ship Election

The governorship ambition of the Labour Party (LP) in Imo State, Senator Athan Achonu, has survived another legal battle before the governorship election.

Naija News reports that a Federal High Court in Abuja has again refused the application by the Lamidi Apapa’s faction of the party to stop Achonu from contesting today’s governorship election.

Recall that Apapa’s faction had, in the ex-parte application, applied for an interim injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing Achonu as the party’s governorship candidate.

The Apapa faction instead told the court to recognise Ukaegbu Ikechukwu Joseph, who emerged from its primary election on April 16, 2023.

But in a ruling on Friday, Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled that the contentious issues, as contained in the affidavit of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), cannot be resolved through an ex parte application.

The judge, therefore, ruled that the application, which the counsel brought to the faction, Mohammed Ndarani Mohammed (SAN), was premature.

“That being the case, I am of the opinion that the interest of justice would be better served if this matter is determined on its merit and not through an ex-parte application as requested by the plaintiffs,” he held.

The suit has been adjourned to November 23.

Bayelsa: Sylva’s Governorship Ambition Survives As Appeal Court Dismisses Suit Seeking Exclusion

The governorship ambition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, has survived another lawsuit.

Naija News understands that the Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Friday, cleared the coast for Sylva to participate in the Saturday governorship election in Bayelsa State.

The Court dismissed the suit, seeking the exclusion of Sylva from the race.

Justice Binta Zubar, while delivering judgment in an appeal instituted against Sylva and two others by Hon Isikima Ogbomade Johnson, held that the suit was unjustifiable and brought in bad faith by the appellant against the respondents.