A Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, has awarded the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000), as cost, to the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for filing frivolous application.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Benue, had dragged the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, before the court in Makurdi.
In the originating summon, the party was seeking for an interlocutory injunction, restraining the election umpire from going ahead with the local government polls slated for Saturday, 3rd June.
The party was specifically embittered that BSIEC rejected its candidates list, after conducting successful primaries across the state and obtained Bio data forms from the umpire.
BSIEC, rather, sold nomination forms to APC candidates and caused their names to be published at its headquarters, thereby making the APC unopposed in the Saturday’s election.
A mild drama, however, occurred on Thursday, when the Benue APC, through a counsel, Omale Omale, sought to be joined in the suit as a party in defence.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Anneke, while ruling on the motion, said that the application lacks merit, as the plaintiff has the exclusive right to join any party in her case and not by compulsion.
The Court described the application as “frivolous” and “busy body” move by the APC, hence, it awarded the cost of N500,000 as damages to the APC, for wasting the precious time of the honourable court.
Meanwhile, the PDP, through its Counsel, Kehinde (SAN), has withdrawn the motion for interlocutory injunction, to stop the election from holding on Saturday.
This was premised upon a legal advice that the election could go ahead without the participation of PDP, pending the outcome of the substantive suit.
The matter has been adjourned till tomorrow, Friday, for continuation of hearing of the issues raised in the originating summon.
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