A Federal High Court in Kano, led by Justice M N Yunusa, has invalidated the candidacies of Abia State’s Governor-elect Dr. Alex Otti and all other Labour Party (LP) candidates in both Abia and Kano states.
Recall that Otti, the governorship candidate of LP in Abia State won the election held in March, 2023.
The court determined that the process leading to these candidates’ selection was not in line with the requirements laid out in the 2022 electoral act.
In the suit No FHC/KN/CS/107/2023, brought forth by Mr. Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim against the Labour Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the court ruled the Labour Party’s failure to submit its membership register to INEC at least 30 days before their primaries invalidated the selection process.
“A 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 the winner of an election; this being so, the votes credited to the 1st defendant are wasted votes,” Justice Yunusa ruled.
LP is currently battling a leadership crisis which has seen a faction led by Lamidi Apapa emerge, while Julius Abure-led faction struggles to keep hold of the party.
