Labour Party’s fight for inclusion pays off as court orders INEC to accept its candidates for the Ondo gubernatorial election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been directed by the Federal High Court in Abuja to accept and recognize Chief Olusola Nehemiah and Ezekiel Awude as the Labour Party’s (LP) candidates for governor and deputy governor of Ondo State, respectively.
Nehemiah and Awude must be given recognition, rights, and benefits as governorship candidates for the Ondo State governorship election on November 16th, according to a court decision.
The Labour Party, Nehemiah, and Awude filed a joint lawsuit against INEC and others, and Justice Emeka Nwite rendered a decision in the case on Friday in Abuja.
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Justice Nwite ruled in the suit filed under the file number FHC/ABJ/CS/1105/2024 that the Labour Party’s second primary election, which resulted in Nehemiah and Awude, was legitimate and ought to be maintained by INEC.
According to Justice Nwite, there is ample proof that Nehemiah put N20 million into the Labour Party’s United Bank for Africa (UBA) account in order to obtain a nomination form, and that he was officially issued one, which resulted in the holding of the second primary election.
The Judge further concluded that there is ample evidence that Nehemiah was directed by the Labour Party to pay N5 million to Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus into his Guarantee Trust Bank account number 0023807463 as a reimbursement for costs after he withdrew from the race for governor.
Judge Nwite declared that the Labour Party officials led by Julius Abure were wrong and illegally in disowning the results of the new primary election that produced Nehemiah and Awude after they fulfilled all precedent-setting requirements.
Thus, Judge Nwite directed INEC to acknowledge Nehemiah and Awude’s candidacy and release their names as legitimate candidates of the Labour Party for the November 16 Ondo State gubernatorial election.
