The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal filed by Kenneth Imansuangbon seeking to disqualify Olumide Akpata as the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Okon Abang, the appellate court held among others that Imansuangbon failed to explore the intra-conflict resolution mechanism of the labour party before rushing to court.

The court also held that his case was premature in law and could not be entertained on the ground that conditions precedent were not met.

The unanimous judgment of the three-man panel of justices also held that Imansuangbon failed to tender the disputed results of the February 23 primary election of the party, which he claimed to have won.

It would be recalled that in June, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja dismissed a suit seeking to void the nomination of Akpata as the LP candidate in the September 21 election.

In the judgement, Justice Omotosho upheld the arguments by Akpata’s lawyer, Johnson Usman, (SAN) that the plaintiffs were without the legal right to institute the suit.

The Action Peoples Party, APP, in Rivers State has refuted allegations made by a Labour Party chieftain, Prince Favor Reuben, claiming that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is handpicking the party’s candidates for the upcoming October 5 local government elections.

Reuben, the South-South Vice Chairman of the Labour Party, made the accusation during a press briefing on Monday in Port Harcourt.

However, in a statement issued on Tuesday, APP urged Reuben to focus on preparing for the elections instead of engaging in baseless accusations.

The party’s state chairman, Sunny Wokekoro, dismissed Reuben’s claims as “childish” and “misinformed”.

He said, “In that statement, Reuben clearly showed a very deep lack of knowledge about how party administration is run. Ordinarily, one won’t respond to the gibberish or give him the publicity he is looking for.

“The issue of political party administration regarding their congresses and primaries is contained in each party’s constitution; every party has its modus operandi, and the Action Peoples Party is not exempted from that;

“We have done our primaries in accordance with the provisions of our party’s constitution, and we have gone beyond that.”

“Reuben and his paymaster, rather than showing gross ignorance of how a political party operates, should go and prepare for the election.”

“For the purported meeting that was held in the government house, I want journalists to ask that unknown figure if he was in that meeting and if he identified any party official of the Action Peoples Party as to allege that Governor Fubara was handpicking candidates for our party.”

“We have said it severally that Governor Siminilayi Fubara is not a member of our party and, as such, cannot handpick candidates for the party.

Wokekoro, stressed that Reuben has no locus standi to question the party’s internal affairs.

He assured that the APP remains focused and open to welcoming members from other political parties.

The APP state Chairman expressed confidence in the party’s ability to win in all local government areas in the upcoming election, adding that it is strictly adhering to the timetable set by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RESIEC), while accusing those following the directives of external influences of acting in ignorance.

Twenty (20) chairmanship aspirants in Kano State have tested positive for multiple drugs screening for the upcoming local government elections, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has said.

Abubakar Idris Ahmad, the NDLEA’s Commander in the state, explained that the aspirants presented by the ruling NNPP in the state tested positive for substances, including opioids, hemp benzodiazepines and nicotine.

Mr Ahmad noted that, “while no female aspirant had tested positive so far, the screening process was ongoing and that more candidates were expected to be tested before the final verification by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC).”

The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), had scheduled the elections for October 26, 2024, where 44 chairmanship and 484 councillorship positions will be contested.