A federal high court in Kano has nullified the election of Alex Otti, governor-elect of Abia, and other candidates of the Labour Party in Abia and Kano, citing non-compliance with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.
– Key points to note
The judge, Mohammed Yunusa, delivered the ruling on Thursday in a suit filed by Haruna Ibrahim against the LP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), according to The Cable. The judge determined that LP failed to submit the register of its members in all 36 states of the federation to INEC in accordance with the electoral act.
“That the failure of the 1st Defendant (Labour Party) to submit its register of members in Kano state and Abia state is in crass breach of the provisions of section 77(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the purported primary elections of the 1st defendant are invalid, null and void and of no effect,” he ruled.
The judge declared that the primary elections of the party cannot produce qualified candidates who participated in the general elections held on February 25, 2023, and March 18, 2023, for all elective positions in Kano state and Abia state.
He ruled that the votes cast for all the candidates of the Labour Party in Kano state and Abia state in the 2023 general elections were wasted votes.
“That the void Primary Elections of the 1 Defendant cannot produce eligible candidates to be sponsored by the 1 Defendant in the General Election, and the participation of the candidates of the 1st Defendant in the election in Kano State and Abia State is of no moment and waste of time,” he said.
– Learn more
Alex Otti emerged winner of the March 18 governorship poll in Abia state, with a total of 175,467 votes, defeating Okey Ahiwe, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 88,529 votes.
– Why this matters
The decision is the first nullification of an outcome of the 2023 general elections. One Twitter user suggested it was a sign of what is to come.
“This type of judgment has the potential of exposing the judiciary to avoidable public ridicule,” human rights lawyer Iniebehe Effiong tweeted Friday.
“It has already ridiculed the judiciary, Comrade Inibehe. This is a sign of things to come!” Dr Great Oracle(AbdulMahmud01) replied.
Not much is known about the plaintiff in the case yet.
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