The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has said it is in court to challenge the Executive Order 21 and Executive Order 22 of the Rivers State government which placed restrictions on activities of political parties in the state.
Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike recently signed the Executive Order 21 which prohibits political parties from using public schools for campaigns without permission from the Ministry of Education and payment of non-refundable sum of N5 million.
The order also stipulates that parties must write to the commissioner for education requesting to use a public school for campaign rally two weeks before the event.
Wike’s Executive Order 22 banned political parties from the use of buildings in residential areas as campaign offices.
But speaking with joiurnalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, spokesman of the APC Campaign Council in the state, Sogbeye Eli, said obeying the orders would amount to recognising irregularity.
Eli said: “Our party is not going to apply to anybody for use of public facilities for campaigns. That will amount to recognising irregularity. We have already approached the court to challenge Executive Order 21 and 22. So, let the court decide on that.”
He stated that the judgement of the Court of Appeal which upturned the judgement of the Federal High Court disqualifying APC candidates from the 2023 general elections had brought to nothing, efforts of the PDP to be the only political party that would be on the ballot during the general elections.
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