A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has dismissed the suit seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from collating results of the governorship election held in Rivers State on 9th March 2019.
Dismissing the suit in a judgment, Justice Inyang Ekwo upheld the preliminary objection filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.
Justice Ekwo had on March 20th refused to grant an exparte motion filed by the candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Biokpomabo Awara, seeking to stop the collation, announcement, and conclusion of the election without hearing from INEC.
In his ruling on Tuesday, the judge agreed with the PDP that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case adjudge to be seeking post-election prayers which could only be entertained by an election petition tribunal.
He held that the suit was an attempt by the plaintiffs to make the court constitute itself into an election petition tribunal.