- Rivers court dismisses Amaechi faction’s case over APC candidate list.
- Judge rules the suit as a pre-election matter filed out of time.
- Okocha faction’s candidates remain recognised for August local elections
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has dismissed a suit filed by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) loyal to former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, against the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) concerning the nomination of candidates for the August 30, 2025, local government elections.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- Trump Pushes for ‘Golden Fleet’ Warships to Counter China’s Growing Threat
- Former Oyo Catholic Bishop Julius Adelakun is Dead
- Nigeria to Deliver 4,000MW Renewable Energy Capacity Under ‘Nigeria First’ Policy
EKO HOT BLOG reports that the suit, instituted by Fubara Dagogo and eight others aligned with the Emeka Beke-led faction, sought an order compelling RSIEC to recognise their list of candidates instead of those submitted by the Chief Tony Okocha-led faction, which is recognised by the party’s national leadership and currently occupies the local councils.
Delivering judgment, Justice Stephen Jumbo ruled that the case qualifies as a pre-election matter under Section 285(14) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). He explained that although the Electoral Act 2022 does not explicitly define pre-election matters, the case clearly falls within the constitutional provision and is subject to the strict time limits prescribed by law.
“Although the Electoral Act does not specifically define a pre-election matter, this suit falls within the scope of Section 285(14) of the Constitution,” Justice Jumbo stated.
He held that the plaintiffs failed to file their case within the legally stipulated period, thereby rendering it statute-barred. “The case was not filed within seven days and concluded within 14 days as required under Regulation 10(2) of the Emergency Powers Conduct Regulations,” the judge said.
The court subsequently declared that, being both a pre-election matter and time-barred, it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case and therefore dismissed it in its entirety. Justice Jumbo also ruled that each party should bear its own costs, as no damages or expenses would be awarded.
Counsel from the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, representing RSIEC, declined to comment after the ruling. However, counsel to the claimants, James Allen-Umeni, described the decision as a “well-considered judgment,” adding that his clients would obtain the certified copy of the ruling before deciding their next legal step.
The Rivers APC has been embroiled in deep internal division, with one faction loyal to Emeka Beke and Rotimi Amaechi, and another led by Tony Okocha, aligned with the state government and recognised by the APC national leadership. The dispute over candidate nominations for the forthcoming local government elections had further intensified the crisis, leading to the legal battle now dismissed by the court.
With this ruling, the Tony Okocha faction’s candidates remain officially recognised by RSIEC ahead of the August polls.
FURTHER READING
- Obasanjo Explains Why He Rejected El-Rufai as Successor
- NOA Launches ₦22m Animation Contest to Promote National Values
- Gombe Commissioner Dies in Road Accident
