By Charles Adingupu
The Labour Party received a major blow when Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court Kano, nullified the candidature of the Abia State Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti and all the candidates of the Party in Abia and Kano States.
The court ruled that their emergence did not comply with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.
A copy of the judgement delivered by the court was made available to newsmen on Friday.
In the Suit filed by Mr Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim against the Labour Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the court ruled that the failure of the Labour Party to submit its membership register to the INEC within 30 days of their primaries renders the process invalid.
He ruled that the party has not complied with the provisions of the electoral act and cannot be said to have a candidate in an election and cannot be declared winner of an election.
It therefore stated that the votes credited to Alex Otti was a wasted vote.
Responding to the judgment, the Labour Party Chairman in Abia State, Hon. Ceekay Igara, said the court’s “pronouncement is laughable”.
Hon. Igara said the decision of the court would have no significance in the coming inauguration of the governor-elect.
Igara claimed that only the election tribunal is bequeathed the power to sack a democratically elected candidate.
The Labour Party received a major blow when Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court Kano, nullified the candidature of the Abia State Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti and all the candidates of the Party in Abia and Kano States.
The court ruled that their emergence did not comply with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.
A copy of the judgement delivered by the court was made available to newsmen on Friday.
In the Suit filed by Mr Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim against the Labour Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the court ruled that the failure of the Labour Party to submit its membership register to the INEC within 30 days of their primaries renders the process invalid.
He ruled that the party has not complied with the provisions of the electoral act and cannot be said to have a candidate in an election and cannot be declared winner of an election.
It therefore stated that the votes credited to Alex Otti was a wasted vote.
Responding to the judgment, the Labour Party Chairman in Abia State, Hon. Ceekay Igara, said the court’s “pronouncement is laughable”.
Hon. Igara said the decision of the court would have no significance in the coming inauguration of the governor-elect.
Igara claimed that only the election tribunal is bequeathed the power to sack a democratically elected candidate.
