INEC de-lists Rivers APC candidates, bars them from contesting

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has de-listed all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the upcoming general elections in Rivers State, barring them from contesting.
In a statement in Port Harcourt, on Friday, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr Obo Effanga, said the decision by the commission followed the outcome of the ruling on the litigation between two factions in the state APC.
Effanga noted that the APC factions of Senator Magnus Abe and that of the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, had been in court over the conduct of congresses.
A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, had on Monday ordered INEC to expunge the names of candidates representing the APC in Rivers in the February and March general elections.
The REC said that INEC had to obey the ruling of the court.
The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, had ruled on the suit brought before him, asking the court not to recognise any candidate from the state APC.
Omotosho referred to an earlier ruling by the Rivers High Court, which nullified the ward, local government and state congresses held by the state APC.
“All nominations in the APC, from governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and others, are hereby nullified and void and set aside.
“Only political parties that conducted valid primaries are eligible to produce candidates for the general elections,” the judge ruled.