Court declines moves to stop Kogi supplementary poll

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA—-The Federal High Court in Abuja has declined to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, ‎from conducting supplementary governorship election in Kogi State tomorrow.

The court, in a judgement today, declined jurisdiction to resolve any of the constitutional issues that were raised in five separate suits challenging the legality of the planned run-off poll.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole ‎who gave the verdict, maintained that going by section 285(1) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, and section 87(10) of the Electoral Act, the Federal High Court, lacked the jurisdiction to grant reliefs that were sought before it by all the plaintiffs.

Noting that the suits were fallout of the governorship election INEC held in Kogi State on November 21, Justice Kolawole, directed the plaintiffs to go and ventilate their grievances before the Election Petition Tribunal.

Whereas one of the suits was lodged before the court by Kogi state governor, C‎aptain Idris Wada, retd, ‎the second suit was filed by ‎the governorship candidate of the People for Democratic Change, PDC, in the state, Hon. Emmanuel Daikwo.

Likewise, a legal practitioner, Mr. Johnson Usman, a House of Reps member for Ahiazu Ezinaehitte Mbaise Federal Constituency of Imo state, ‎Hon. Rafael Igbokwe and an electorate from Omala LGA in Abelijukolo Ife of Eche ward in Kogi state, Mr. Stephen Wada Omaye, filed the two remaining suits‎

Shortly after he dismissed the four consolidated suits, Justice Kolawole, in a separate judgment, also declined ‎to declare the Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kogi state, Mr. James Faleke, as the governor-elect.

‎More details soon.