Stop INEC from fielding Omo-Agege, aggrieved APC member asks court

AN aggrieved member of the All Progressive Congress (APC), in Delta State has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), not to accept the nomination of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege nor field him as a candidate to contest for the office of Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the forthcoming general election.

The plaintiff, Orakata Oviri also wants the court to restrain his party, the APC from clearing and fielding Omo-Agege as candidate to run for the office of Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the grounds that he is not qualified and fit to run for the office of Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State under the platform of the 1st Defendant (APC) .

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1046/2018, filed on September 24, 2018, and has the APC and INEC as defendants, the plaintiff is asking the court to determine, “Whether the 1st Defendant can validly clear Senator Ovie Omo Agege to contest the Primary elections under the platform of the 1st Defendant for the office of Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Represent Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State.

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“Whether the 2nd Defendant can accept the nomination of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege to run for the 2019 general election for office of Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to Represent Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State under the platform of the 1st Defendant.”

If the answers to the above questions are answered in the negative, the Plaintiff, therefore, prays the court for the following Orders and/or Reliefs:

“A declaration that the 1st Defendant cannot validly clear Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as aspirant to contest the Primary elections under the platform of the 1st Defendant to run for the office of Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to Represent Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State.”.

He also wants the court to declare that INEC cannot accept the nomination of Senator Omo-Agege as candidate to run for the said election under the platform of the APC as well as an order of perpetual injunction restraining the APC from clearing and fielding Senator Omo-Agege as candidate to run for the 2019 general election for office of a Senator to represent Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State.

The plaintiff also wants an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from accepting Senator Omo-Agege’s nomination and fielding him as candidate to run for the office of Senator in the 2019 general election under the platform of the APC.

An affidavit in support of the originating summons averred that Senator Omo-Agege who is also known as Augustine Ovie Omo-Agege was called to the State Bar of California United State of America but had his license suspended and barred as a result of his conviction in California in the United State of America.

“That the status of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege also known as Augustine Ovie Omo-Agege’s license is contained in the following website http://members.ca|bar.ca.oov/fal/Lioensee/Detail/162185.

According to the affidavit, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, also known as Augustine Ovie Omo-Agege is not qualified and fit to run or contest for the office of Senator Representing Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State under the platform of the APC.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.