*PDP challenges Cole’s citizenship
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Tonye Cole, Governorship candidate of Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) will know his fate on November 24,2022 over the case seeking to disqualify him over his dual citizenship.
A case was instituted by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against Cole; APC; Independent National Electoral Commission and others.
PDP is challenging the eligibility of Arch. Tonye Cole, the gubernatorial candidate of the APC, on grounds of his dual citizenship of Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
The case is being presided over Justice Emmanuel Obile of the Federal High Court 2, Port Harcourt.
Sogbeye C. Eli ,Spokesman, Tonye Cole/Innocent Barikor 2023 Campaign Council, in a press statement, said the PDP has asked the Court to disqualify Cole because someone with dual citizenship is “not eligible to contest for an election in Nigeria.”
Recall that Justice Obile had on October 25, 2022, given judgment disqualifying Tonye Cole and all candidates of the APC for the 2023 general elections at the suit of George Orlu and others alleging that they were delegates of the party but were excluded at primaries by APC.
A panel of the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from giving effect to that judgment last Friday and ordered the three sets of Applicants to file their appellants’ briefs yesterday, November 7, 2022, having granted them leave to appeal against the judgment.