The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, on Thursday, November 24 disqualified the governorship standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Tonye Cole.
The arguments for the court’s verdict was premised on the allegation of Cole’s voluntary dual citizenship of the United Kingdom and pledging allegiance to same and for not being duly nominated by the APC as well as not following due process as unambiguous as stated in the new electoral act.
In his ruling, Justice Emmanuel Obile, maintained that the APC flouted with the Electoral Act which produced Cole as the candidate of the party.
The PDP had approached the court to instruct the Independent National Electoral Commission disqualify Tonye Cole as the governorship candidate of APC for alleged dual citizenship and that the delegate election that brought him was not in line with constitutional provisions for having not been monitored by INEC.
He also agreed with the PDP that Tonye Cole is unqualified to compete at gubernatorial poll next year.
The judge therefore ordered INEC to expunge Tonye Cole’s name from the list of eligible candidates for the forthcoming 2023 gubernatorial election.
1 comment
[…] READ THIS: Court disqualifies Rivers APC gubernatorial candidate […]