VP debate: Sowore sues NEDG, BON over exclusion

The Presidential Candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC),
Mr Omoyele Sowore on Wednesday filed a suit against the Nigeria
Election Debate Group (NEDG).

Sowore sued the NEDG over the exclusion of his party’s
Vice-Presidential Candidate, Mr Rabiu Rufai in the debate which
held on Dec. 14.

The suit, with No. CV/652/2018, was filed by the National Legal
Adviser of the party, Mr Inibehe Effiong, in company of its Deputy
National Secretary, Mr Joshua Adeoye at the FCT High Court,
Maitama.

Other respondents in the suit are Broadcasting Organisations of
Nigeria (BON), BON Chairman and CEO of Channels Television, Mr John
Momoh.

In the suit filed by its legal adviser, the AAC claimed that the
exclusion of its vice presidential candidate in the debate was an
act of discrimination and malice against the party and its
candidates.

The party is praying the court to declare that the deployment of
the state media apparatus by the organisers of the debate to the
advantages of the five selected parties who participated in the
debate and exclusion of its candidate contravenes Section 100(2) of
the Electoral Act 2010.

The party through its legal adviser was also asking the court in
the suit to declare that AAC and Mr Sowore are entitled to equal
media time to participate in the January 19, 2019 presidential
debate.

Effiong said that such gesture was necessary for its
presidential candidate to propagate the manifesto of the AAC as
provided for in Section 100(3) of the Electoral Act as amended and
the Nigeria Broadcasting Code (6th Edition, 2016).

The party through its legal adviser also filed a motion on
notice for an order of injunction restraining the NEDG, BON and
John Momoh from organising the Jan. 19, 2019 debate without
including its presidential candidate.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that several documents,
affidavit including nine exhibits were filed to accompany the
suit.

NAN also reports that no date has been fixed for the hearing of
the suit.

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