A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday,
December 4, gave the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) permission
to continue the supplementary election in Kogi state.
READ ALSO: Kogi Election: Mustapha Audu Slams Oyegun SGF Others
READ ALSO: Kogi Election: Mustapha Audu Slams Oyegun SGF Others
Ruling on four suits filed before the court, Gabriel
Kolawole said while the Federal High Court lacks the jurisdiction to
hear the case, INEC should continue with the supplementary election in
91 polling units as scheduled.
Kolawole also said that after the election, any grievances arising should be directed to the governorship election tribunal.
He also wondered why individuals quickly run to the federal or state high courts in cases of intra-party disputes.
Court decides on Kogi supplementary election
Kolawole said only the election tribunal can entertain the case.
He also advised the political parties to either approach
the tribunal or address the intra-party issues among the political
parties.
In addition, Kolawale struck out the suits by the present
governor, Idris Wada and running mate to the late Prince Audu Abubakar,
James Falake.
The judge in his ruling said both Faleke’s and Wada’s cases lacked merit.
On Thursday, December 3, ruling on the matter was adjourned
after parties involved adopted all final written addresses on legal
submissions and applications following the death of the flag bearer of
the Kogi state All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial election,
Abubakar Audu.
James Faleke, the party’s candidate for deputy governor had
filed a suit over the decision of the INEC to declare the Saturday,
November 21, Kogi election inconclusive.
Faleke asked to court to compel the electoral body to
declare his joint ticket with the late governorship candidate winner of
the election.
He also asked the court to stop the INEC from conducting a supplementary election in 91 polling units as scheduled for Saturday, December 5.
The present governor of the state, Idris Wada, who is also
the flag bearer for the PDP in a suit asked the court to declare him the
winner of the election
Wada buttressed his suit on the grounds that he is the
second runner in the election and got the highest vote after the late
APC candidate.
Also, the candidate for the People for Democratic Change
(PDC), Emmanuel Daiko in a third suit queried the need for a
supplementary election. He asked the court to order the INEC to conduct a
fresh election in the state.
Daiko said it should be illegal for the APC to substitute
its deceased candidate. His suit is supported by a fourth one filed by
Raphael Igbokwe, a PDP member of the House of representative from Imo
state.
Contrary to all four suits, a fifth one filed by a lawyer
Johnson Usman asked the court to compel the electoral body to stop all
electoral activities in the state pending the determination of the
suits.
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