by crossriverwatch admin
The National Conscience Party (NCP) and People Progressive Alliance, PPA have called on a Calabar High court to enforce the judgment which annulled the candidature of three Local Government Chairmen in Cross River State, who were sworn in on Monday.
The two parties have filed a motion in the court urging it to enforce the judgment delivered on the pre-election case. The PPA Governorship Candidate in 2012 governorship election in the state, Mr. Goddie Akpama disclosed this to CrossRiverWatch saying that the swearing-in of the three chairmen was illegal.
The three Councils include Obudu, Obanliku and Yakurr where the PPA and NCP fielded candidates in the September 21, 2013 local government election.
Mr. Akpama said he was convinced that the Court will grant them justice, as the Judge who presided and gave the judgment on the matter has asked them to tender certified copy of the ruling to assist the Court in enforcing the verdict.
The State Leader of PPA grumbles that the State Independent Electoral Commission, CROSIEC, and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) were taking the opposition for granted, as he vowed to sweep the three council chairmen out of office.
Meanwhile, the Court is yet to rule on the petition filed by APC, challenging the exclusion of the newly registered party from contesting the last council elections.
To the party, APC was qualified to contest as it has called for total cancellation of the election, alleging the Party members and supporters were disenfranchise by CROSIEC.
Mr. Akpama regretted that democracy in the state, under Governor Liyel Imoke was drifting as Opposition parties were ready to fight to protect the rights and aspirations of their members.
He maintained that the chairmen of Obanliku, Obudu and Yakurr local governments remained nullified and disqualified, hence they failed to file LGE0001A and LGE002 forms of their nominations before June 17th, 2013, which was the deadline fixed by the State Independent Electoral Commission CROSIEC.
The affected chairmen were dragged to court by the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) and the National Conscience Party (NCP) which claimed that the PDP candidates breached the state Electoral Law.
The presiding judge, Justice Michael Edem upheld the prayers of the plaintiff and ruled that the PDP candidates were ineligible to contest the elections, except subsequent council polls.
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