Court Gavel
Rivers Assembly: Court dismisses LP suit against INEC
A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit brought forth by the Labour Party (LP) seeking an order for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election to fill seats in the Rivers House of Assembly vacated by defected lawmakers.
Justice James Omotosho ruled in favour of striking out the suit after LP’s counsel, F. I. Adariku, requested the case be withdrawn.
The LP sought the court’s intervention to compel INEC to conduct a new election for vacant seats by lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, INEC, represented by Victor Giwa, opposed the suit, labelling it frivolous and incompetent and citing it as an abuse of the court process.
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Giwa contended that the LP lacked the legal standing and territorial jurisdiction to bring the action, emphasizing a pending case in a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, which addressed the same subject matter and involved the same parties.
Upon INEC’s objection, LP withdrew the suit, prompting Adariku to seek its dismissal.
While A. S. Adisa, representing Giwa, did not contest the withdrawal, he requested a cost of N500,000.
In his ruling on May 3, later sighted on Monday, Justice Omotosho ordered LP to pay a cost of N50,000 in favor of INEC.
The suit involved several defendants, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara and numerous lawmakers.
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