BEVERLY HILLS, October 27, (THEWILL) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why it named millionaire businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the November 26 governorship election.
THEWILL recalls that INEC, on Thursday, posted Ibrahim’s name on its website leaving out Eyitayo Jegede, the candidate of the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the PDP.
Although, a court order from the Ondo State High Court in Akure had restrained INEC from recognizing Ibrahim as the candidate of the PDP pending the determination of the substantive suit before the court.
However, Olusegun Agbaje, Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, has revealed that Ibrahim was approved as candidate based on an order from the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Okon Abang.
Abang had on October 14 declared Ibrahim the true candidate of the PDP and rejected a plea by Jegede seeking to be allowed to appeal the October 14 court judgement.
Agbaje revealed that INEC received a court order from the High Court in Akure on Wednesday, but there was a subsisting one by Justice Abang.
He added that INEC would have no choice but to drop Ibrahim if another superior order comes in favour of Jegede saying that is why ‘court order’ was written in front of his name (on the list) to show that the name was picked as a result of an order of the court.
He revealed that the situation may continue that way until the matter is decided by the Supreme Court if the parties choose to proceed to the apex court blaming the politicians for jumping from one high court to the other.
Story by Oputah David
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