A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ordered the Rivers State Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to appear before it to explain why Saturday’s governorship election should not be suspended in the state.
This followed a suit by the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Tonte Ibraye and the party seeking the suspension of saturday’s election.
The plaintiffs, Chief Tonte Ibraye and ADC, had in the suit instituted in Abuja on four grounds sought the suspension of the governorship poll in the state.
But the ex parte motion transferred to be heard in Port Harcourt, which was received by Registrar of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Mrs G. I. Obata, was heard today.
Justice A. T. Mohammed, who is presiding over the matter, ordered that the defendants, the Governor of Rivers State (1st defendant), Attorney General of Rivers State (2nd defendant), Peoples Democratic Party (3rd defendant), INEC (4th defendant) appear before it tomorrow, March 8 at 1p.m.
Mohammed said the order was for the parties to be present to argue why Saturday’s polls should not be suspended.
Ibraye is seeking the suspension of the election over claims that the new Executive Orders of the Rivers State government negatively impacted the electoral process in the state.
