Ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Ondo State, the Labour Party has urged Nigerians, particularly the electorate, to disregard a court judgment purportedly disqualifying its candidate, Olusola Ebiseni, from the race.
The three-member panel of justices, in a unanimous decision led by Justice Hamma Barka and delivered by Justice Adebukola Banjoko, held that “the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024 brought by the Labour Party against Chief Olusola Ebiseni and two others is allowed.”
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja had previously ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept and recognize Olusola Ebiseni and Ezekiel Awude as the Labour Party’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates, respectively, for the Saturday election.
According to Justice Nwite, the second primary election that produced Ebiseni and Awude as candidates was valid and should be upheld by INEC.
Justice Nwite noted that there was evidence Ebiseni paid N20 million for the nomination form and was duly issued a form leading to the conduct of the second primary election.
He also observed that the party directed Ebiseni to pay N5 million to one Festus Olorunfemi as compensation for his withdrawal from the race.
Justice Nwite thus ordered INEC to accept the nominations of Ebiseni and Awude and to publish their names as the Labour Party’s lawful candidates for the Ondo State governorship election scheduled for November 16.
However, the appellate court on Wednesday overturned the trial court’s judgment.
