Court dismisses suit seeking to stop Enugu local council election

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, rejected an application seeking to stop the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) from conducting Saturday’s local government elections in the state.

The judge in a ruling on the oral application moved by counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), held that stopping the election would not meet the justice of the matter.

He held that there was not enough evidence on the service of the hearing notices on the defendants against the proceeding.

The judge said that based on Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, restraining the commission from going ahead with the poll would be contrary to the principle of fair hearing.

The APC had in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1325/2024 asked the court to issue a perpetual injunction restraining the ENSIEC from conducting any election in the state without its participation, among other reliefs.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ENSIEC, and one Nwanfor Alphonsus Onyeachonam were listed as respondents in the suit.

Justice Emeka Nwite of the same court had recently refused to grant an application to stop the election.

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