The Federal High Court sitting in Akure, tbe Ondo State capital, has disqualified the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for Akoko South-East/South-Wes federal constituency for the February 25th National Assembly election, Mr. Adegboyega Adefarati.
The court made the pronouncement, while declaring the party’s primary election in the federal constituency null and void.
An aspirant for the seat in the primary election, Mr. Segun Ategbole, had approach the court, alleging infractions and seeking to be declared winner of the primary election conducted by the APC.
Delivering judgment in tbe matter, the court, presided over by
Justice T.B Adegoke, however held that the party cannot build something on nothing and expect it to stand.
The court thereby resolved that the APC has no candidate for the House of Representatives election, holding on February 25, 2023, as no valid primary election was held by the party; the APC is subsequently restrained from conducting any primary election, as the window for the conduct if such election has closed, having been shorter than the 180 days allowed by the Electoral Act 2022 before an election date.
The court also restrained the Independent nAtional Electoral Commission, INEC, from accepting the name of the 3rd defendant, the plaintiff or any name whatsoever from the APC as candidate for the election.
The court also gave an order restraining the third defendant, Mr Gboyega Adefarati, the supposed winner of the defective primary election conducted by the APC, from parading himself as the candidate of the APC for the February 25th, 2023 election.
