A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to stay action on the issuance of a certificate of return to any candidate in Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district election. Following an application by Senator Godswill Akpabio, Justice Valentine Ashi made the order at a Friday sitting in Apo. In an exparte motion dated February 28, 2019, with an affidavit deposed to by a certain Daniel Idoko and filed on March 1, Senator Akpabio prayed the court for leave to apply for “judicial review for the issuance of writ of Mandamus, prohibition, injunction, and other declaratory reliefs” against INEC. Granting the order, Justice Ashi said there was “some merit, especially in regards to the need to keep things in status quo and adjourned the case till March 8 for hearing and directed the parties to first address the court on jurisdiction on the next adjourned date.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 02, 2019 11:15 UTC