DUAL CITIZENSHIP: PDP’S SUIT AGAINST TONYE COLE IS DISMISSED BY THE A-COURT.

A Port Harcourt Court of Appeal dismissed a suit filed by the People’s Democratic Party against the All Progressives Congress’s governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, challenging his eligibility to run in the state’s 2023 governorship election.

The PDP also claimed in its suit against the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, that the APC violated the Electoral Act by fielding their gubernatorial candidate.

The PDP was described as a meddling interloper by the Appeal Court, which overturned the decision of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt over Tonye Cole’s alleged dual citizenship.

In a unanimous decision issued yesterday in Port Harcourt, the three-man appellate panel said the PDP lacked locus standi to challenge the APC, its Governorship Candidate, and INEC on the conduct of the congresses and primary elections that brought in their candidate.

On the issue of dual citizenship, the appeal court ruled in a judgment delivered by Justice Olabode Adegbehingbe on behalf of the led Judge, Justice Joseph Ikyegh, that the PDP lacked legal standing to sue INEC in a pre-election matter.

Adegbehingbe stated that the previous Supreme Court decision on the issue of citizenship in electoral matters is conclusive.

Chimenem Jerome, one of the APC’s counsels, described the judgment as a water shield in political jurisprudence after the court sitting.

Jerome stated that the APC had always argued that the PDP lacked the locus standi to interfere in the APC’s internal affairs, and that the appeal court had proven their point.

Meanwhile, Dike Udenna, one of the PDP’s legal representatives, stated that while every party has the right to appeal, the decision to appeal the judgment to the Supreme Court would be made by the party.