Court Grants Order Against Etche Councillor

A Port Harcourt High Court presided over by Justice S.C. Amadi, has granted an order of substituted service to a serving councillor, representing Ward 18, in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The order of substituted service followed a suit filed against the councillor by the claimant, Mr. Edna Njoko alleging unlawful substitution of her name by the People Democratic Party (PDP), in the last local government Election in Rivers State.

Also joint in the suit to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC). Justice Amadi said the notice is to give the defendant respond through her lawyers, and adjoined the case to 14 December 2011 for hearing.

The claimant’s lawyer, Barrister Akornami Sampson, thanked the presiding Justice for granting the service order, and stated that the long date was to enable the defendant respond.

Accordingly, he alleges unlawful substitution by his clients name in the said election, adding that, “the defendant was not a registered member of PDP, and there was no legal provision for independent candidate for her to have won the election”.

Barrister Sampson, wants the court to declare that the defendant was not fit to run the election.