Magistrates court issues bench warrant for arrest of APC's Akwa Ibom State governorship candidate

TOMORROW'S gubernatorial elections in Akwa Ibom State could have been thrown into turmoil after a Port Harcourt high court judge issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Nsima Ekere.

Like 30 of Nigeria's 36 states, Akwa Ibom will go to the polls to elect a new governor tomorrow in what is a two-horse race between Mr Ekeke and incumbent governor Udom Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  However, Sir SD Andrew-Jaja, of a Rivers State magistrate court has issued a warrant for the arrest of Mr Ekere, along with one Katungo Moljengo, in compliance with Section 138 of the Rivers State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2015.

According to the chief magistrate, he issued the warrants after hearing argument from ST Soremi, the complainant counsel in a suit marked PMC/MISC/15/2019. Listed as complainant in the suit was a company known as Multi-Intelligence Development.

The court order, bearing the seal and signature of ST Dappa, the principal registrar of the court, said  the arrest warrant against  Me Ekere and Mr Moljengo was issued  in Port Harcourt under the seal of the court and hand of the presiding chief magistrate on March, 5, 2019. It is not known if Mr Ekere will be arrested before the elections hold or whether he will be picked up during the exercise.