INEC dashes hope of Rivers APC

Any hope of the All Progressives congress (APC) fielding candidates in Rivers state in the forthcoming election was dashed as the Independent National Electoral Commission on Wednesday insisted that the party cannot present candidates for elective offices in the state.

 Recall that state APC has in a petition begged INEC to consider enlisting its candidates for the elections.

However, after its meeting to consider the appeal by the Rivers APC, INEC said the party remained banned from fielding any candidate in any elective position since the Supreme Court has made a number of judgment supporting rulings of lower courts on the ban of the party.

INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu made the commission’s resolution on the matter known after Wednesday meeting to consider the petition.

He said, “As for APC in Rivers, I think the Supreme Court has made a number of pronouncements on that matter and for that reason, the commission has taken its decision going by the judgment of the Supreme Court.

“And in our constitution, the Supreme Court is the last hunt for result for any citizen. And there must be an end for litigation as lawyers may say and once the Supreme Court makes a pronouncement, all agencies and authorities in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, abide by the judgment of the Supreme Court.

“And so, the commission as a law abiding institution, will always abide by the judgment of courts so that is the situation for Rivers State. There’s nowhere else to go. We’ll go by the judgment of all courts, but when it comes to the Supreme Court, that is the end of all litigation.”

Rivers APC chapter had earlier vowed that there may not be any election if its candidates were not enlisted to participate in the polls.