From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Ahead of Wednesday’s Enugu State Local Government Council Elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has approached the State High Court to restrain Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) and two others from conducting the election without the party’s nominated candidates.
In the Suit No. E/114/2022, All Progressives Congress (APC) vs Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission, Peoples Democratic Party and Dr Mike E Ajogwu, SAN, filed at the Enugu State High Court, the party also is asking the court to restrain the first and second defendants from rejecting or disqualifying any of its candidates.
In a Motion on Notice brought pursuant to order 38 Rule 1 of the state High Court (Civil Procedure) Rule 2020, by APC’s counsel, LawEdge (Legal Practitioners) the party prayed for among others, “An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st and 3rd Defendants whether by themselves, their servants, agents, privies, surrogates, staff, appointees, officers, ad-hoc staff or howsoever called or any person acting on their behalf or on their instructions, or directives from conducting the 2022 Enugu State Local Government Council Elections scheduled to hold on 23/2/2022 without including the Plaintiff’s duly nominated candidates.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st and 3rd Defendants whether by themselves, their servants, agents, privies, surrogates, staff, appointees, officers, ad-hoc staff from dealing with any other person, persons or group of persons sponsored by the 2nd Defendant to reject or disqualify any of the Plaintiff’s 17 Chairmanship candidates and 260 Councillorship candidates in the 2022 Enugu State Local Government Council Elections scheduled to hold on 23rd February 2022.
“An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st and 3rd Defendants whether by themselves, their servants, agents, privies, surrogates, staff, appointees, officers, ad-hoc staff or howsoever called or any person acting on the instructions, or directives of 1st and 3rd Defendants from demanding, requesting the plaintiff’s 17 Chairmanship Candidates and 260 Councillorship candidates to produce evidence of ta clearance as and when due for a period of three years – immediately preceding the year of the election and local government letter of identification as the basis for qualification as candidates to contest the 2022 Enugu State Local Government Council Elections scheduled to hold on 23/2/2022 pending the hearing and determination of Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction filed in this suit.”