The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State might no longer participate in the 2023 Governorship elections as a result of allegedly having a candidate with dual citizenship, a Federal High Court has ruled.
The Court sitting in Port Harcourt, on Thursday, disqualified the governorship candidate of APC, Tonye Cole, on the grounds that he is said to be a citizen of the United Kingdom, Africa Update has gathered.
The court also ruled that the APC did not comply with the Electoral Act that brought in Cole as the candidate of the party.
The Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State had approached the court to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission not to recognize Tonye Cole as the governorship candidate of APC for alleged dual citizenship and that the delegate election that produced him was not monitored by INEC and did not follow due process.
Delivering judgement, Justice Emmanuel Obile agreed with the PDP that Tonye Cole is not eligible to contest governorship position.
He thereafter directed INEC to delist the name of Tonye Cole from the list of eligible candidates for the 2023 Governorship election.
Speaking to newsmen outside the courtroom, counsels to the PDP, Dike Udenna expressed happiness over the judgment which he said means that APC has no governorship candidate for the 2023 General election.
On his part, counsel to the APC, Collins Dike said the APC will challenge the judgement at the Court of Appeal.
He said the constitution of Nigeria allows him to contest the Governorship election having been born in Nigeria.
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