The Supreme Court has upheld the two appeals filed by the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike challenging the decisions of the Court of Appeal, up tuning the dismissal of a petition filed by the African Action Congress, AAC and its candidate in the last governorship election, Awara Biokpomabo Festus.
In two judgments, the seven-man panel of the court upheld the two appeals by Wike on the grounds that they were meritorious.
Justice Ejembi Eko wrote and delivered the lead judgments in both appeals, which the other six members of the panel agreed with.
In another development, An Abuja High Court has also upheld the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to reject the candidates of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN and Freedom and Justice Party, FJP for the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi State.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, in two judgments, dismissed the suits filed by the ACPN and FJP on the grounds that they were statute barred.
The Court held that INEC acted within its powers to reject the candidates when it found that both parties failed to comply with its deadline for the submission of candidates’ lists and nomination forms.
