Candidate of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC) for Ogun State House of Assembly, Ota Constituency 1, Mr Ashade Ayodele Emanuel has said he will appeal an Abeokuta Federal High Court ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove his name from its website.
The Federal High court judge, Justice Adetayo Aluko on Friday ordered the INEC to remove the candidate of the ADC for Ifo Constutuency, Wemimo Owolabi and all other house of assembly candidates of the ADC in Ogun State from the INEC website.
The court premised its judgement on the case filed by the Labour Party challenging the legality of the election of Owolabi saying the primary election does not follow electoral law in electing the candidate.
In reaction to Aluko’s judgement, Ashade said he will be appealing the case at the appellate court to seek redress and justice. He said the judgement is a deliberate attempt to distract him and his party from concentrating on their planning on campaign activities leading to the 2023 general elections.
“After scrutiny, it was discovered that Justice Adetayo Aluko ordered that my name Hon. Ayodele Emanuel Ashade and other colleagues of mine from African Democratic Congress be removed or deleted from the website without considering all our presentations challenging the suit so that we will not be able to contest in the forthcoming 2023 General Elections.”
He said; “to me, it’s a clear distraction from the government of the day in Ogun state to stop the good people of Ota State Constituency 1 and Ogun state, in general, to perform their individual civic right so far they have no project to showcase for governing the state since 2019. We are already at the appellate court with them. And I am very sure, it will attend to the matter on its merit.”
Earlier, the legal adviser of the party Mr Ifenla Oligbinde, had also said the party will appeal the judgement at the court of appeal.
He said; “the attention of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been drawn to the Judgements of Abeokuta Federal High Court today wherein the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been asked to delete names of Candidates of our party from those contesting the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
“While awaiting details of the judgement, our Legal team have been instructed to appeal the said judgements.
“We are of the firm opinion that the processes through which all our candidates emerged are in genuine conformity with extant provisions of the electoral act and constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “We have no doubt whatsoever that the validity of all our candidates will be sustained on appeal.
“We urge all our party members and supporters to remain calm and focused on their campaign efforts.
This pattern of distraction cannot change our resolve to form a pro-people’s government in Ogun State in 2023″, Oligbinde noted.
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