Court of Appeal strikes out appeals of Rivers APC, Tonye Cole & Others seeking to be re-enlisted on the ballot.

The judges in a unanimous verdict read by Justice Isaah Akeju, struck out the appeal, stating that the suit amounts to an academic exercise. The judges stated that the court aligned itself with several Supreme Court judgments and decisions in the matter and stuck to the consequential orders of the court. The Appeal Court also struck out another matter filed by the APC in Rivers challenging the same judgment barring them from participating in the 2019 governorship and National Assembly elections. The judgment, which was also delivered by Justice Isaiah Akeju, relied on other decisions and judgment of the Supreme Court in taking its decision. The judges in their verdict further described the second appeal by the APC as an academic exercise, adding that the Supreme Court’s judgment on the matters were relevant and binding. Counsel for the APC, Chimenem Jerome, said his clients would be heading to the Supreme Court on the matter. Meanwhile, Counsel for Magnus Abe, Patrick Luke, said, “The judgment of the court today marks the end of the road for indirect primaries in Rivers State and gives hope to (Magnus) Abe and other aspirants who participated in the direct primaries. “Today, two appeals came up at the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, one was filed by the APC and the other was filed by Tonye Cole and others. “At the end of the proceedings, the court struck out the two appeals for being academic, all issues having been spent were struck out. “The only thing now is the direct primary election that was done by Senator Magnus Abe and his fellow aspirants, we expect the Supreme Court to do the needful and uphold the appeal before it.”]]>