A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace Eyitayo Jegede with Jimoh Ibahim as the gubernatorial candidate in Ondo State.
Jegede is the candidate of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led-National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while Ibrahim is the candidate of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction of the party.
The Ondo State gubernatorial elections will hold on November 26, this year.
Justice Okon Abang gave the order on Friday while ordering the INEC to relate with Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction.
An INEC source said the Commission is studying the judgment, but stated that replacement of candidates elapsed on Friday.
Meanwhile, Senator Ahmed Makarfi led faction of the PDP has maintained that , has said Jegede remains the party’s flag-bearer in the Ondo State governorship election.
A statement after the judgment by the Publicity Secretary of National Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said the ruling of Justice Abang did not in any way affect the matter of the PDP candidacy in the Ondo State governorship election.
Adeyeye said that the issue of Ondo State governorship was not the matter before Justice Abang in the suit.
Adeyeye said: “The matter before his lordship was in relation to the 2019 general elections. “For the avoidance of doubt, Eyitayo Jegede remains the flag bearer of the PDP in the Saturday, November 26, Ondo State Governorship Election.”
Adeyeye, therefore, called on all members and supporters of the PDP as well as the electorate in Ondo State not to allow the ruling to distract them.
He said that they should rather continue with the campaigns to ensure the victory of Jegede in the election.
Comments are closed.