Kogi: Court Sets Date On Natasha’s Exclusion

The Federal High Court, Abuja, will, on Nov. 7, deliver judgment in the suit filed by the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Natasha Akpoti, challenging her exclusion from the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi.

Justice Folashade Ogunbiyi-Giwa fixed the date for judgment after taking submissions of counsel on the propriety or otherwise of the suit.

Akpoti, his deputy, Adams Khalid and the SDP had approached the court to challenge their exclusion from the 2019 Kogi governorship poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The commission had refused to accept the candidature of Khalid in replacement of the earlier nominated deputy governor, Mohammed Yakubu, on the grounds that Yakubu was not qualified in the first place to be fielded as a deputy governorship candidate in the election on account of his age.

The plaintiffs in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1129/2019 and filed on Oct. 3 by their lawyer, Ola Olanipekun, SAN, sought a declaration of the court that INEC’s decision via a letter with reference number: LEG/PP/23/T/107 that the nomination of Mohammed Yakubu as the Deputy Governor of the SDP in the Nov. 16 gubernatorial election is “invalid” on the grounds of qualification is ultra vires to the statutory powers of INEC and it’s therefore null and void.

The plaintiffs in addition prayed the court to declare that the refusal of INEC to recognise Yakubu as substituted deputy governorship candidate of the SDP in the Nov. 16 gubernatorial election in Kogi is unlawful and unconstitutional ab initio.

“A declaration that the purported rejection and or disqualification of the nominated candidates of the SDP for any reason whatsoever is ultra vires to the duties, powers and responsibility of the defenfant.

“An order setting aside the defendant’s letter Ref: INEC/LEG/PP/23/T/107 and letter Ref: |NEC/LEG/PP/23/T/IO9, addressed to the Chairman of the 3rd Plaintiff, same being unconstitutional, null and void ab initio.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, its commissioners, officers, staff, agents and privies from giving effect to its decision to reject/disqualify the 1st and 2nd Plaintiffs, as the governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the 3rd plaintiff, in the 2019 Kogi governorship election.

“An order of mandatory injunction that the defendant should place the names of the lst and 2nd plaintiffs on its list of candidates for the 2019 Kogi governorship election and further place the name and logo of the 3rd plaintiff on the ballot paper for the 2019 Kogg Governorship election,” they said.

Counsel to the plaintiffs, Olanipekun, SAN, in his argument submitted that the duty of disqualification of any candidate in an election is that of the court and not INEC.

He further argued that the rejection of the substitute was unlawful because it was made 45 days before the governorship election, adding that the substitution was sequel to a voluntary withdrawal of the first nominated deputy governorship candidate, whose letter of withdrawal was forwarded to INEC.

However, in a counter argument to the motion, INEC’s counsel, Tanimu Inuwa, SAN, disclosed that the plaintiffs in a letter dated Sept. 19 and addressed to INEC chairman, admitted that the first deputy governor nominee was not qualified to contest the election on account of his age and urged the court to dismiss the suit.

Justice Ogunbiyi-Giwa after listening to their argument fixed Nov. 7 for judgment.

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