THE Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, on Tuesday set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court sacking 14 House of Assembly candidates of the New Nigeria Peoples Party in Rivers State.
Justice Turaki Mohammed of Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, had sacked the NNPC House of Assembly candidates in a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which alleged that the NNPP candidates did not comply with the Electoral Act in the conduct of their primaries.
But the three-man panel of appeal in a unanimous judgment held that the PDP has no locus standi to challenge another political party on the issue of party primaries.
The Appeal Court panel also ruled that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the matter in the first place and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to enlist the 14 House of Assembly candidates of the NNPP.
Counsel to the NNPP, Lanson Igwe who is also a House of Assembly candidate for Emohua Constituency in the state said the judgment is a sign of victory for his party and a failure for the ruling party in the state.
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