Mr. Olugbenga Edema, the gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the upcoming elections in Ondo State, has filed a petition seeking a Federal High Court order disqualifying Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa from participating in Saturday’s polls. did.
Naija News reports that Mr. Edema has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the names of Governor Ayedatiwa and his deputy governor of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the list of candidates for the upcoming governorship election. It is asking the court to give instructions.
Edema sought the court’s interpretation of Article 15 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) regarding the process of nomination of APC candidates.
He claims that the APC primaries held on April 20, 2024 were unconstitutional and did not comply with the provisions of the Elections Act 2022, and that Ayedatiwa’s nomination is invalid.
In the first summons (case number FHC/AK/CS/103/2024) filed by his lawyer, Mr. Abayomi Ojo, Mr. Edema named INEC as the first defendant, APC as the second defendant, and Mr. Ayedatiwa and his representatives. was identified as the third defendant. and the fourth defendant.
He asked the court to cancel INEC’s release of the names of APC candidates ahead of the November 16 gubernatorial election, citing violation of electoral laws.
Edema said, “Notwithstanding Section 84(13) of the 2022 Election Act, the first defendant has been accused of being a party to the third defendant, an APC candidate, on the basis of nomination from an invalid primary election held in 2022. It was claimed that there was a duty to exclude/exclude the name of the 4th defendant as evidenced by Exhibit NNPP02-19 dated April 20, 2024 containing reports from various wards and local governments across Ondo State. ”
Edema seeks the following declaration from the court:
UNCONSTITUTIONAL PUBLICATION: INEC’s publication of Mr. Ayedatiwa and his deputy as candidates of the APC pursuant to Article 15 of the Third Schedule of the Constitution and Sections 82(1)(5) and 84 of the Electoral Act 2022 is unconstitutional, invalid, and vacant. VALID NOMINATION: Declaration that INEC’s acceptance of APC’s gubernatorial candidate is arbitrary and illegal. Order to cancel nominations: An order nullifying INEC’s nomination and publication of Mr. Ayedatiwa and his deputy for the November 16 election as violating the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The challenges posed by Edema highlight the importance of strict compliance with electoral regulations and constitutional requirements for the nomination of candidates, especially in the context of the upcoming Ondo State gubernatorial election.
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