Nine hours to the Bonny Youth Federation (BYF) elections fears that the election may not hold have been dismissed by the Caretaker Committee of the apex youth body in Bonny Local Government Area, assuring that the elections would hold as planned.

The elections will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2020 at the Ibanise Hall, Akiama, Bonny with Accreditation of Delegates starting from 8am to 10am, Voting from 11am to 1pm, and Declaration of Votes by 2.30pm same day.

Court documents purporting to be containing an order barring the committee from going ahead with the elections went viral on Friday, November 6, 2020 but upon close scrutiny by Kristina Reports it was discovered that the court only ordered that the respondents in the said matter be put on notice.

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The order was issued by Justice Roseline Minakiri of the Rivers State High Court in Suit No. PHC/3472/FHR/2020 involving a certain Emmanuel Obadiah Hart as plaintiff and Daniel Tamuno-Opubo B. Wilcox, Charles Brown, Victor Pepple, Boma Halliday, and Adaa Bristol as defendants/respondents in the matter.

In the said order it was stated that “It is hereby ordered as follows an order of this honourable court is hereby made that the defendants/respondents be put on notice before the hearing of the application for interlocutory injunction dated and filed 4/11/2020”.

The case was thereafter adjourned to December 2, 2020 for motion.

In a chat with Kristina Reports on the sidelines of the Manifesto Presentation Session at the BYF Secretariat, King Asimini Bypass, Bonny, a member of the BYF CTC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, dismissed the insinuations.

The official stated that the committee was not aware of any court injunction stopping the elections, saying that the committee being law abiding would comply with any lawful order by a court of competent jurisdiction but has not received any yet.

Concerns have been raised about different aspects of the election process including the constitution of the caretaker committee, inclusion of a hitherto unknown chieftaincy house, process of selecting delegates, creation of new offices to be contested for, purchase of nomination forms and vetting of aspirants, among others.

Sources told Kristina Reports that the whole process of the elections were in contravention of the constitution of the Bonny Youths Federation (BYF) and when passed through the fire of legal scrutiny may collapse like a pack of cards.

One of these sources, a legal practitioner, hinted Kristina Reports that “Yes, no order stopping the election but if the respondents have been served, and they go ahead with the elections, the election will be nullified by the court on 2/12/2020 by the court”.

Expectations, however, are high as the time ticks away heralding the commencement of the polls with last minute consultations, strategy meetings and wooing of delegates assuming a frenzy.