A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, nullified the nomination of Engr. Tonye Cole, as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, on the ground that his nomination was a function of illegality and unconstitutional acts.

The court also quashed the state APC Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries conducted on the premise of the illegal ward congresses.

It further nullified the elections of Rivers APC ward executives, local government executives and State executive committee that arose from the illegal ward congresses.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Chiwendu Nwogu, in a suit filed by Ibrahim Imah and 22 others against the APC, the Court declared that the ward congresses of Rivers APC were illegal because they were not conducted in line with the APC Guidelines and Constitution.

Justice Nwogu set aside the ward congresses of Rivers APC on May 19, 2018, Local Government congresses of May 19, 2018, and State Congress of the party of May 21, 2018.

He stated that all actions taken by the APC during the pendency of the suit have been set aside because they were illegal and unconstitutional.

Justice Nwogu declared that all those who purchased nomination forms for the ward congresses were entitled to contest the ward congresses of May 19, 2018, but were unjustly excluded by the party.

Following the judgment, the APC no longer has a candidate for the governorship, Senate, House of Representatives, House of Assembly elections in the forthcoming 2019 elections.

By implication of the ruling, APC also has no State Working Committee, Local Government Working Committees and Ward executives.

•Sourced from Daily Sun report

Update news