The Court of Appeal in Abuja has thrown out an appeal by the Allied People’s Movement seeking to disqualify the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, from contesting the forthcoming presidential election.
In the appeal marked, CA/ABJ/CV/1414/2022, the APM contended that the Independent National Electoral Commission, ought not to have recognized Obi as a valid candidate for the presidential poll.
This, the APM said, was in consideration of the time Obi defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Labour Party.
The party also claimed that the period of Obi’s defection for the purpose of contesting the presidential election was in violation of sections 77(2) and (3) of the Electoral Act, 2022
But delivering Judgement, the President of the Court, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensan dismissed the appeal on the grounds that the appeal lacked merit and APM lacked the legal right to initiate the suit.
The appellate court also awarded a cost of N200,000 against APM, in favour of the Labour Party and Peter Obi who are the 2nd and 3rd respondents in the suit.
CHECKPOINTCHARLEY 