Izuchukwu E.N
A Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct indirect primary for the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi State.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo approved the party’s choice on Monday and dismissed two suits filed by some APC members in Kogi, challenging the party’s choice of mode of primary to be adopted for selecting a candidate for November 16 poll.
The first suit prayed the court to determine the true leaders of the party from the two sets of members of the party in the state, claiming entitlement to its leadership.
In the second suit, some party members challenged the decision of the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) to adopt an indirect primary in choosing its candidate for the election. The plaintiffs were of the view that the choice of the mode to be adopted for primary election cannot be determined while the leadership in the state chapter of the party was under question, with the pendency of the suit.
In his ruling, Justice Taiwo dismissed the first suit for being statute barred on the grounds that it was not heard within the 180 days stipulated under Section285(10) of the Constitution. He added that since the second suit was predicated on the first suit which had been dismissed, it was unnecessary determining issues raised in the suit on the grounds that they have become academic.
