Moves by the All Progressives Congress to stop the June 26th Local Government election in Rivers state has suffered a setback.
This is because Justice Bilikisu Aliyu of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has delayed judgement on an injunction sought by the APC to stop the Local Government election from holding.
DAILY POST reports that the court delayed the judgement following applications by political parties; Accord Party, Independent Democrats and the People’s Democratic Party to be joined in the matter.
Justice Bilikisu said new Supreme Court rule mandates a matter to be heard even if the matter has been reserved for judgement.
The Judge who was vehement in his stand mandated the All Progressives Congress to respond to the joinder sought by the three interested parties.
The court, however, assured it will give the matter an accelerated action and fixed June 7th for hearing.
Counsel to Accord Party, Osima Ginah said his party applied to be joined in the matter because it is participating in the local government elections.
According to Ginah, “We have candidates in this election and as a party, we have done all we are expected to in order to participate in the Local Government election.
“So, if there is any matter that will affect a process where we have spent money, we don’t have a choice than to get involved in it. That is why we are in this matter because any decision taken by the court will directly or indirectly affect our party.”
On his part, Counsel to the Rivers state House of Assembly, Zacheus Adangor stated that the RSIEC Law being challenged by the APC should not contend with an election that has been fixed.
Meanwhile, Counsel to the APC, Nemi Erama told newsmen that the opposition party wants the court to stop the election based on the law made by the Rivers state House of Assembly on the conduct of Local Government election when a matter is in Court.
Other parties in the matter include the Inspector General of Police, INEC, RSIEC, Attorney General of Rivers state, DSS and the Rivers state House of Assembly.
The Rivers State House of Assembly had last year amended the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, Law which allows the commission to conduct election as planned even if there is a matter against it in Court.
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