Comedy Of Intrigue : Judge  Reportedly Makes Volte-face On Ruling Sacking LP  Members As Abia Gov-elect’s Political Future  Hangs In The Balance

The Federal High Court , Kano  on Friday  nullified  Mr. Alex Otti’s candidacy, ditto others who stood as  candidates of the Labour Party (LP) in Abia and Kano states in the 2023 general election.

Otti is   the Governor-elect  of Abia state.

It will be recalled that Alex Otti  had gotten declared  winner of the 2023 Abia state governorship election by the  Returning Officer, Professor Nnenna Oti after having  175,466 votes while his main rival, the PDP candidate, Okechukwu Ambrose Ahiwe, had gotten 88,526 votes.

Team@orientactualmags.com  learned Justice M. N. Yunusa  ruled that their emergence as candidates ahead of the 2023 general election did not adhere to the requirements of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The Court in Suit No FHC/KN/CS/107/2023 which was filed by Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim against the LP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ruled that the failure of the LP to submit its membership register to the electoral commission within 30 days of its primaries had rendered the process invalid.

‘The party that has not complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act cannot be said to have  a candidate in an election and cannot be declared winner of an election. This being so, the votes credited to the 1st defendant (LP) is a wasted vote’ the judge ruled.

Ibrahim Haruna-Ibrahim had  asked the court to invalidate the ‘certificate of return’ issued to all LP candidates  that were declared winners in Kano and the 35 states of the Federation, including the FCT, Abuja.

Though, no one among members of the Labour Party is currently holding an appointive or an elective position in the country,  the party had since risen from obscurity to become the third most popular political party in the country overtaking APGA and NNPP.

The party had also won gubernatorial election in Abia state.

However, the political future of  the Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti  now hangs in the balance.

The leadership of the Labour Party has  rejected the nullification of   Otti’s candidacy and other party members that were declared winners of the elections held in February and March this year.

Otti has also  called on Abia residents to remain calm, saying the Federal High court’s judgment holds no water and stands on nothing.

His media aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma noted that preparations for the governor-elect’s inauguration on May 29 are proceeding as planned.

It has indeed been a comedy of intrigue as  the judge has also reportedly  said it was only   the Kano LP candidates that were affected by the ruling.

‘This court lacks jurisdiction to make an order for the issuance of certificate of return.

They are at liberty to seek redress in the appropriate division of the court’ he said.

 ‘The court declared the primary elections of LP in Kano  null and void’  Nasir-Yunusa said- Team@orientactualmags.com
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