By Our Reporter
Abuja – Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed Chief Thomas Ereyitomi as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Warri House of Representatives in the 2027 general election.
The Judge on Thursday dismissed a suit brought against him by another aspirant for the Constituency, Dr Ekpoto Emmanuel challenging his nomination and submission of his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.
Dr Ekpoto Emmanuel had in the suit prayed the Court to nullify the participation and emergence of Thomas Ereyitomi as the duly nominated candidate of the APC for the Warri Federal Constituency.
His grouse against Thomas Ereyitomi’s nomination by APC was that he was a member of the APC and the Nigeria Democracy Congress (NDC) at the time he stood for the May 16 primary election that produced him.
The plaintiff urged the Court to disqualify Ereyitomi who is the 3rd defendant in the suit and declare him, the lawful winner of the primary election having scored second highest votes in the primary poll.
However, in his judgment, Justice Umar agreed with Ereyitomi, APC and INEC that the case of the plaintiff was membership of a political party.
The judge held that membership of political party is an internal affairs of the APC and cannot be looked into by any law court.
He also held that once the national working committee of a political party sets up a screening committee, and all aspirants screened and cleared and proceeded to sell expression of interest and nomination forms to candidates, it is assumed that the issue of membership of the party by the cleared aspirant can no longer be an issue as in the present case.
“What is more, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the custodian of party documents including membership register, claimed that it was not aware of dual party membership raised against the third defendant (Hon. Ereyitomi Thomas).
“On his part, the third defendant in his counter-affidavit made it clear that he registered at Ogidigben ward of Warri and displayed his temporary membership card issued to him by the leaders at the ward, a claim that was not challenged by the plaintiff.
“From the totality of the claims, and reliefs sought by the plaintiff, it is crystal clear that his case revolves around party membership which in my view and in view of plethora decisions of the Supreme Court, fall within the internal affairs of a political party, and it is therefore outside the purview of this court to go into, I therefore do not hesitate to hold that the view that the case of the plaintiff falls squarely in the internal affairs of the APC and therefore.
Consequently, Justice Umar held that the case of the plaintiff was not justiciable, lacking in merit and dismissed it.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
