RIVERS: Accord Party’s Lulu-Briggs fights on, heads to A’Court

Following a judgement by a Federal High Court on Friday that ordered his removal as the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in Rivers State, a chieftain of the APC, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs has approached an Appeal Court to upturn the decision of the lower court.

Recall that the court presided over by Justice E.A Obile ordered that Precious Baridoo should replace Dumo as the party’s candidate in next Saturday’s election.

Shocked by the development, Dumo while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Friday said he had filed an appeal for a stay of action while he noted that the matter would be granted accelerated hearing.

He however, blamed the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the governor of the state, Nyesom Wike for his travails.

He added that Baridoo was a working tool in the hand of the governor who was being used to cause division in the party.

He said, “I will not succumb to diversionary tactics of opponents in my quest to become Rivers State governor. My quest to liberate Rivers State from the shackles of wicked politicians, who want to continue to punish and impoverish our men and women, instigate violence and bloodshed and deny our children quality education, is still on track.

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“Dumo Lulu-Briggs is still in the race by the grace of God. I have no godfather, but God, the Father; and by the grace of God and the will of Rivers people, we shall triumph and start the process to secure the future of every Rivers man, woman and child.

“We state in very strong terms that we are aware that this case is another dubious shenanigan by Governor Nyesom Wike, who is afraid to go into any legitimate contest in the forthcoming Rivers State governorship election and is doing everything possible, including sponsoring court cases against strong opponents in order to achieve his primitive ambition to contest the 2019 governorship election against himself alone.

“It is our considered position that Mr Precious Baridoo is nothing but a willing tool in the hands of dubious and unprincipled politicians who are bent on scoring cheap psychological advantage a week to the governorship election.

Meanwhile, the national leadership of the Accord Party has expressed surprise over Friday’s ruling while insisting that Dumo and not Baridoo is the candidate of the party.

The National Chairman of the party, Mallam Muhammadu Lawal Nalado who spoke to newsmen in Abuja on Friday said, “The party duly submitted the name of Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs as its candidate after the withdrawal of Amieye Nelson who won the party’s primaries conducted on the 4th of October 2018.”

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