Gentlemen of the press, recall that the Peoples Democratic Party filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Division seeking the disqualification of our Governorship Candidate, Arch Tonye Cole on the ground, among others, that our candidate is a citizen of United Kingdom,
Recall also that today Hon. Justice E.A. Obile of the Federal High Court 2, Port Harcourt entered judgement in favour of the PDP and against us and in the judgement, disqualified our candidate from participating in the 2023 elections.
While we are bound by the judgement of the court, pending appeal, we wish to reiterate that our candidate is qualified to contest the said elections because Section 182 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution under which the Court reached the decision does not disqualify a person who has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of another country or who has made a declaration of allegiance to another country provided that such a person is a citizen of Nigeria by birth. This is so because section 182(1)(a) of the 1999 constitution is made subject to section 28 of the same constitution.
Tonye Cole is a Nigerian citizen by birth and is therefore qualified like every other Nigerian, to contest elections.
We have therefore set in motion the process to challenge the judgement on appeal immediately and we are very confident that justice will be done. We urge our teeming supporters and party faithful to remain calm and confident while we pursue justice in this and other matters.
In all, we wish to assure our supporters that our great party, the All Progressive Congress will be on the ballot and will win the 2023 elections in Rivers State.
Thank you and God bless
Signed.
IHEANYICHUKWU DIKE Esq
STATE LEGAL ADVISER.
APC, RIVERS STATE
