Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has been officially recognised about 24 hours to the Ondo governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published its updated list of candidates on Friday, with Festus as the LP candidate after an appeal court struck out the petition of Olusola Ebiseni who was initially registered as the party flagbearer with the electoral commission.
Meanwhile, the commission said it was only served with the Certified True Copy (CTC) on Thursday after the Appeal Court struck out the case which was filed by the same party for lacking jurisdiction.
In September, the party had submitted a petition to the Federal High Court, Abuja, asking that Ebiseni be accepted and recognised as LP’s Ondo governorship candidate.
“The Commission was yesterday 14th November, 2024, served with the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment of the Court of Appeal which set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja Division,” INEC stated on Friday.
“The FHC, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1105/2024, had on 27th September, 2024, ordered the Commission to accept Olusola Ebiseni as the candidate of the Labour Party for the 2024 Ondo State Governorship election.
“However, in the appeal with reference number CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024 filed by the Labour Party, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, struck out the judgment of the FHC for lack of jurisdiction.
“In obedience to the court order, the Commission has restored Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus, whose name was first published as the Labour Party candidate for the 2024 Ondo State Governorship election and uploaded same to our website for public information.”
Eighteen candidates from the state are contesting for the Ondo governorship.
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