The Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, to disqualify the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Simininalaye Fubara and others from participating in the 2023 general elections.
The party in its application prayed the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify Fubara and 31 others from contesting the coming polls over alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.
APC claimed that the ruling party in the state failed to forward the names of its candidates to the electoral umpire within the 30-day timeframe provided by law.
It also wants the court to disqualify the aspirants for “not properly signing the letter containing their names before forwarding same to INEC.”
When the matter was mentioned yesterday, counsel to the plaintiff, Collins Dike, moved a motion ex-parte for substituted service on the respondents, which the court granted.
The presiding judge, Justice Phoebe Ayua directed APC to serve the defendants by pasting the process on their walls before adjourning to August 31 for the hearing of the suit.
She instructed the applicant to effect service before the next adjourned date.