Bayesla: Court of Appeal strikes out application by ANDP factional leaders

The Court of Appeal on Monday struck out an application by individuals from the James Femowei drove factional National Executive Officers (EXCO) of the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP), trying to be participated in the intrigue testing the judgment of the Bayesla Governorship request council.

The council had in a lion’s share judgment by two out of the three-man board of Justices, voided the result of the gubernatorial political decision that held in the state on November 16, 2019, over the prohibition of one of the enrolled ideological groups, Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party, ANDP, in the challenge

In a consistent decision, a three-man board of the re-appraising court drove by Justice Stephen Adah struck out the joinder application while administering on the primer protest recorded by direction to the ANDP, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN).

Justice Adah in his decision concurred with the legal advisor that the application was frivilous and superfluous.

While holding that the candidates as chief individuals from the gathering did not have the locus standi to document and application to be participated in a political race appeal.

The court explicitly held that “by the arrangement of areas 133 and 137 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as corrected), the candidates are not one of the people entitled or requested a political decision appeal or claim.

“There is no space for leader individuals from an ideological group to be participated in a political race request. The Notice of starter protest is maintained as the candidates have no locus standi to bring the movement,” Justice Adah dominated.

Plus, the court depicted the application which was contended by their insight, Dominic Anyiador as an endeavor to burn through the hour of the court in engaging the intrigue before it.

The court in like manner requested the candidates to pay the expense of N200, 000 to every one of the three arrangement of respondents.

The individuals who brought the doomed application for joinder as invested individuals to the intrigue were James Femowei; factional Chairman of the ANDP, Barnabas Nwaguma (National Vice Chairman); Fortune Oyadonghan (National Publicity Secretary); Fred Ikhaghu (National Director NGO/Volunteers) and Mrs. Linda Nyam (Director Admin/Records).

In the interim, the Court of Appeal has fixed September 23 to start hearing in the six forthcoming interests before it.

Justice Adah expressed that in the said date, the court will engage the application recorded by guidance to Governor Duoye Diri, Gordy Uche (SAN) looking for the union of the six forthcoming interests.

The court had on seventeenth August invalidated the appointment of Governor Douye Diri and his agent, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo on grounds that the Independent National Electoral Commission unlawfully barred the Advanced National Democratic Party from the November 16, 2019 governorship political race in the state.

The interests under the steady gaze of the court are recorded by Governor Douye Diri, INEC, PDP, Ibinene Stephen, Owei Woniwei and Vijah Opuma.

In his 12 grounds of offer, Governor Diri encouraged the redrafting court to put aside the greater part judgment of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which invalidated his political decision, and maintain the Minority decision.

Two individuals from the board, Justices Sikiru Owodunni and Yunusa Musa, said they discovered legitimacy in ANDP’s dispute that it was unlawfully avoided from partaking in the governorship political race by INEC, notwithstanding the way that it satisfied all the legal necessities.

Justice Musa who read the lead judgment in the issue, maintained the appeal, saying the council was fulfilled that INEC wrongfully barred ANDP and its governorship competitor, King George, from the political race.

He held that INEC came up short on the forces to preclude ANDP’s up-and-comers, after it neglected to follow up on a letter the gathering wrote to be permitted to substitute its delegate governorship up-and-comer.

Notwithstanding, in a contradicting judgment, Chairman of the council, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, certified lead representative Diri’s political race after he excused the appeal for being rule banished.

Justice Sirajo said there was proof that ANDP was excluded from the political decision for handling an ineligible up-and-comer.