Barring last minute events, the All Progressives Congress (APC) would lose Rivers State in the 2019 general elections as a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt Monday issued a restraining order on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC not to recognise candidates of both factions of APC for the forthcoming elections.
The presiding Judge, J.K Omotosho ruled that following the nullification of the congresses of the APC in Rivers state, the direct and indirect primaries conducted by both factions of the party were built on nothing.
Omotosho declined the request of Magnus Abe and forty-three others asking to be declared as authentic candidates of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State.
He said the restraining order on INEC is binding until a higher court sets aside the ruling of Justice Chiwendu Nworgu nullifying the congress and primaries conducted by the APC in the state.
Parallel primaries were conducted in Rivers State by the Rotimi Amaechi and Abe factions of APC producing two set of candidates with Tonye Cole as well as Abe as governorship candidates, though APC recognized the candidates from the Amaechi faction.
