The National Rescue Movement has prayed a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to disqualify Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for the September 19, 2020 governorship election in Edo State.
The NRM and its candidate for the forthcoming poll, Stevie Ozono, filed the suit and named the Independent National Electoral Commission, APC, Ize-Iyamu and Gani Audu as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants respectively.
The plaintiffs averred that by virtue of Section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Sections 31 and 153 of the Electoral Act and the Guidelines for the submission of candidates of political parties issued by INEC, it is only the political party’s National Chairman and the National Secretary who sign a letter forwarding names of the party’s candidate to INEC.
They contended that it was Governor MaiMala Buni of Yobe State and John Akpan Udoedeghe, the National Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Committee and the National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Committee, who signed the letter conveying the names of Ize-Iyamu and Gani Audu to the INEC as the APC governorship candidate and running mate respectively for the forthcoming Edo State governorship election.
The Movement and Ozono asked the court to determine whether after due consultation of Sections 183, 222a and 223 of the 1999 Constitution, INEC can lawfully deem that the list of candidates of the APC for the Edo State gubernatorial election to be held on September 19, 2020 has been submitted to it by virtue of the letter dated June 29, signed by Udoedeghe and Buni.
They asked the court to declare that APC has no candidates for the Edo State gubernatorial election to be held on September 19, by virtue of the non-submission of her list of candidates before the deadline on June 29.
They also urged the court to make an Order voiding the decision of INEC to include APC, Ize-Iyamu and Audu as candidates in the gubernatorial election pertaining to Edo State to be held on September 19, 2020.
The plaintiffs attached a 30-paragraph of affidavit deposed to by Chinedu Obi, the National Publicity Secretary of the National Rescue Movement, to their suit.
The case has been assigned to Justice A.R. Muhammed.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.
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