By TAIYE AGBAJE

A Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday, affirmed the nomination and substitution of Prince Kadiri Asamah, SAN, as deputy governorship candidate of Labour Party (LP) for the Edo governorship election fixed for Sept. 21.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in a judgment, agreed with the argument of the party’s lead counsel, Johnson Usman, SAN, that the LP had complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and other regulations in nominating Asamah as its running mate for the poll.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the party had, on Feb. 23, conducted its governorship primary election for the state where Olumide Akpata won as party’s standard-bearer.

Akpata subsequently nominated Olayinka Faith Alufohai as his running mate.

Alufohai, however, withdrew her nomination on March 8 and deposed to an affidavit of withdrawal in support of her letter of withdrawal which she submitted to the party.

Consequent upon her withdrawal, Akpata nominated Asamah as his new running mate whose name and personal particulars were submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and uploaded on its portal on April 15.

However, INEC refused to publish Asamah’s name.

Dissatisfied with the electoral umpire’s decision in not publishing his name, LP and Akpata, through their Counsel Johnson Usman, SAN, filed a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/556/2024 to sue INEC as sole defendant.

They prayed the court to direct INEC to accept and publish the name of Asamah as the deputy governorship candidate of the party.

Delivering the judgement, Justice Nwite agreed with the argument of Mr Usman, SAN, that Alufohai, having withdrawn her candidature, the LP had the right to submit another name as party’s running mate.

The judge held that the LP submitted the name of Asamah as deputy governorship candidate within the time provided by provisions of Sections 29 (1), 31 and 32, 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The judge, therefore, said that INEC had no latitude to reject the name.

Consequently, he ordered INEC to accept and publish the name of “Kadiri Yusuf Asamah, SAN, as the running mate/deputy governorship candidate of Labour Party for the forthcoming Edo State Governorship Election fixed for 21^st September 2024.” (NAN)

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