
According to sources,a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has dismissed a suit seeking to stop the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos,Akinwunmi Ambode from contesting the April 11 poll.The presiding Judge Justice Mohammed Yunusa declared that the plaintiffs had no Locus standi to institute the legal action.The Judge also held that the plaintiffs failed to establish any reasonable cause of action to sustain their prayers.The plaintiffs identified as Olurufemi Oluwatosin and Dada Joseph,who are members of the APC,had approached the court seeking an order to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from allowing APC to field any candidate for the coming Saturday Governorship election in Lagos state.In the suit filed by their lawyer,Samuel Adeniyi,the plaintiffs were challenging their alleged disenfranchisement in the party primary that produced Ambode in December 2014.They alleged that the primary was fraught with and predicated on irregularities and that the party's ward congresses,which were supposed to be conducted only in the 20 recognised Local Government Areas of Lagos state,were also council Development Areas of the state.They also alleged that secret ballot rather than open ballot system was used during the congresses,arguing that same had rendered the process illegal,unconstitutional null and void.Joined as defendants in the suit were APC,the INEC and Ambode etc.APC described the plaintiff's case as academic,malafide,and abuse of court processes and one that was targetted at embarrassing the party.It therefore urged the court to immediately dismiss the case and award cost of damages against the plaintiffs for instituting the action.The Judge upheld's APC argument and dismissed the suit but he did not award any cost against the plaintiffs.
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