News Punch published yesterday that the independent National Electoral Commission, the INEC yesterday eventually bowed and dropped Mr. Eyitayo Jegede of the Ahmed Makarfi led the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and instead, enlisted Mr. Jomoh Ibrahim of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction. Facts have now emerged why INEC actually took the decision despite a fresh court order, refraining it from doing so.
Until the commission released the final list of all the candidates that would contest the election, on Thursday evening, the name of Jegede was put on its website as the candidate of the PDP, report according to Punch Newspaper says
It was gathered that INEC, in a letter sent to the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Segun Agbaje, the commission described the list as final.
The letter conveying the list was signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mr. Augusta Ogakwu.
The emergence of Ibrahim came on the heels of a ruling by a Federal High Court in Abuja, which rejected a move by Jegede to appeal against the recognition of Ibrahim as the candidate of the PDP.
Specifically, Justice Okon Abang, on Thursday, dismissed the application by Jegede on the grounds that he lacked the locus standi to file it.
Jegede had by his application sought the leave of the court to appeal against the judgment directing INEC to recognise Ibrahim as the party’s candidate.
The October 14, 2016, judgment of the court which Jegede sought to appeal was for the enforcement of an earlier verdict of the same court delivered on June 29, 2016, and which directed INEC to only accept the list of PDP candidate submitted by the Biyi Poroye-led executive in the state.
But in his ruling on Thursday Justice Abang held that the application lacked merit.
While striking it out, the judge held that Jegede was not mentioned in the substantive matter and, as such, he lacked the locus standi to seek leave to appeal the judgment.
The judge ruled, “He (Jegede) also lacked the right to be joined in the main suit and, as such, he cannot be joined thereafter or have the right to appeal the judgment. He is not entitled to appeal.
“There is nothing from the records of the court leading to the judgment of June 29, showing that the applicant has interest in the matter.”
But a High Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, earlier in the day restrained INEC from removing the name of Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) as the candidate of the PDP for the November 26, 2016, governorship election.
Justice William Olamide gave the ruling on Thursday based on an ex-parte motion brought before the court by the Clement Faboyede-led PDP faction in the state.
An Abuja High Court had on October 15 ordered the electoral commission to remove Jegede’s name for the name of Ibrahim.
In his ruling, Justice Olamide said that it would be out of order for INEC to replace Jegede’s name, pending the determination of the motion on notice, saying doing such would contravene the principles of equity, justice and fairness.
Excertps From Punch Newspaper used in the article
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