Opposition Parties Lose Bid to Stop Kogi LG Polls

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A High Court sitting in Koton Karfe yesterday dismissed the request by the opposition parties to stop the May 4 local government elections in Kogi State.

The opposition parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, and the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, through an application for interlocutory injunction, sought an order of the court to restrain the Kogi State Government, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the State Independent Electoral Commission, KOSIEC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, among others from conducting the council polls, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

In the main suit, the applicants are challenging the composition of KOSIEC.

Justice Alaba Omolaye Ajileye held that the court could not grant the application because it was coming ‘on the eve of election,’ as enormous preparation and resources had been committed to it.

He said: “It becomes clear that delay by the applicants in bringing this application has destroyed and defeated their equity. It is therefore inequitable to grant this application. It is a case in which I cannot properly exercise my discretion in favour of applicants. Application is refused. Same is accordingly dismissed.”

The judge noted that the application was a subtle invitation to the court to determine the substantive action or part of it, adding that there was no way facts in the application could be decided without prejudging facts in the substantive suit.

The opposition parties are challenging the competence of KOSIEC to conduct free and fair local government elections, claiming that members of the commission are members of the PDP.

The applicants also averred that the impartiality of the defendants could not be guaranteed for the conduct of free and fair elections, arguing that there was need for KOSIEC to be reconstituted.

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