Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the list of the All Progressives Congress (APC) delegates submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the Kogi State forthcoming governorship primary election.
Delivery judgment on Wednesday, Justice Omotosho held that there was no evidence before the court to show that valid special ward congresses were held from which the said delegates emerged.
Recall that the APC in Kogi State had submitted a delegates list to INEC on February 7, 2023, ahead of the party’s gubernatorial primary election
Justice Omotosho also noted that the party failed to provide credible evidence that INEC monitored the said congress or congresses from which the names on the said delegates list were derived.
The judge, who restrained INEC from accepting and acting on the said delegates list, said the APC in Kogi State still has an opportunity, with the existing time frame, to conduct valid special ward congresses to elect delegates, who will elect the party’s candidate for the governorship election.
Alternatively, the judge said the APC in Kogi could opt for any other mode of electing it’s candidate for the governorship election should it decide not to conduct valid special ward congresses as ordered by the court.
The judgment was on a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/329/2023 filed by some aggrieved members of the APC in Kogi, led by Realwan Okpanachi.
Details shortly…