A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday dismissed a suit filed by an aspirant, Madam Patience Key, challenging the candidacy of Kola Abiola as the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate.
In his judgment, Justice Ahmed Mohammed held that the suit was statue barred; hence, the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain it.
Justice Mohammed, who said the suit was a pre-election matter, held that it ought to have been instituted within 14 days from the date of the occurrence of the cause of action, in compliance with Section 285(9) of the 1999 Constitution.
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The judge agreed with the defendants that though the PRP presidential election was conducted on June 5, the plaintiff filed the suit on June 28, when the case ought to have been instituted, not later than June 19.
He added that though Madam Key raised weighty allegations against the conduct of the poll, including her claim that it was marred by irregularities, vote-buying, non-compliance with Section 84 of the Electoral Act, and gross violations of the party’s guidelines for the conduct of primaries, those could not take preeminence over failure to file the case within time prescribed by law.
The judge consequently dismissed the suit for lack of jurisdiction to hear it, having been statute barred.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the plaintiff, Madam Key, had, on June 28, sued PRP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Latifu Abiola, as first, second and third defendants.
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