Court Orders INEC To Delist Labour Party State Assembly Candidates In Rivers

A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delist the names of four House of Assembly candidates under the platform of Labour Party in Rivers State.

Justice Turaki Mohammed, in his ruling yesterday, stated that there were irregularities in the process that produced the candidates.

The presiding Judge upheld the suit filed by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that the Labour Party did not comply with the Electoral Act while conducting four of the State House of Assembly primary elections.

Justice Mohammed granted PDP’s prayer and directed INEC to remove the affected candidates, including those of Obio/Akpor 1 and 2, Tai and Gokana State constituencies.

However, the court disagreed with the PDP that the primary elections of the Labour Party that produced candidates for Ahoada East and West were not monitored by the INEC.

Meanwhile, counsel to the Labour Party candidates, Uche Olewunne, has vowed that his clients will challenge the judgement at the Court of Appeal.