News Politics

Rivers election: Court strikes out SDP suit seeking cancellation

By: Felix Ikpotor

A federal high Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Friday, struck out a suit brought by the Rivers State chapter of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, against the Independent National Electoral Commission seeking for the cancellation of the March 9th governorship election in Rivers State for lack of jurisdiction.

The state SDP and its governorship candidate in the just concluded March 9 guber election, Sir Precious Elekima had dragged the electoral body to court through a fundamental human right enforcement suit.

SDP and its guber candidate had prayed the court to cancel the election over an alleged denial of fair hearing.

They had also told the court that INEC fact-finding committee that visited the state after the result collation process was suspended by the commission only met with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the African Action Congress, AAC, governorship candidates.

However, in his ruling today, Justice Hillary Oshomah declined jurisdiction over the matter adding that the circumstances surrounding the suit showed that it is a post election matter which only an election petition tribunal has the exclusive jurisdiction to entertain.

 Counsel to the plaintiffs, Barr Somina Elekima while speaking with journalist outside the courtroom said, “when we brought this matter before the court, it was not yet post election matter as results had not been announced.

“We will study the ruling and decide with our clients if we will head to tribunal.”

The court had on Monday April 1 reserved ruling for today after entertaining arguments by both counsels.

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