Tony John, Port Harcourt
A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has sacked Mr Dumo Lulu Briggs as the governorship candidate of Accord Party for the 2019 governorship election which holds on Saturday, March 9.
The court declared that Mr Precious Baridoo, who was duly nominated during the October 4, 2018, Accord Party governorship was the authentic candidate of the party.
Justice Emmanuel Obile of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, declared that Mr. Lulu Briggs cannot participate in the governorship election because he was not duly nominated at the party’s primary.
Justice Obile stated Lulu Briggs did not participate in the party’s October 4, 2018 governorship primary,.
The court stated that the defendants failed to challenge the affidavit of the plaintiff to controvert the facts contained therein.
Justice Obile ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enlist the name of Precious Baridoo as the Rivers State governorship candidate of Accord Party.
The court directed INEC to remove the name of Lulu Briggs as the state governorship candidate for Accord Party.
Baridoo had told the court that he was duly nominated during the party’s governorship primaries on October 4, 2018, before he was illegally substituted with the name of Dumo Lulu Briggs, who did not participate in the party’s governorship primaries.
He stated that Lulu Briggs could not claim to be the governorship candidate of Accord Party, when he was not even a member of the party.
Counsel to Baridoo, Mr Wori Wori, described the judgement as a victory for democracy.
He said that the rules of political engagement must be respected.
Lawyer to Lulu Briggs stated that they would challenge the judgement at the Court of Appeal.