A’Court sacks Obi LP gov candidate, Ebiseni

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Wednesday, sacked Olusola Ebiseni as the Labour Party candidate for the Ondo State governorship election scheduled for November 16, 2024.

The three-member panel of justices, in a unanimous decision in a lead judgment by Justice Hamma Barka but delivered by Justice Adebukola Banjoko, held that “the appeal marked CA /ABJ/CV/1172/2024 brought by the Labour Party against Chief Olusola Ebiseni and two others is allowed.”

Justice Banjoko further added that the Certified True Copy of the judgment would be made available to the parties in the appeal as soon as possible to go through.

Justice Abba Mohammed, in his contributory judgment, agreed with the decision of his brother justices.

Ebiseni belongs to the faction of the former presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi and the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, in a judgment, had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to accept and recognise Ebiseni and Awude as the governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the LP for the November 16 governorship poll in Ondo State.

He affirmed that the second primary election held by the Labour Party, which produced Ebiseni and Awude as the governorship and deputy governorship candidates was valid and must be upheld by INEC.

Justice Nwite, in his judgment in the suit instituted by Ebiseni and Awude, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1105/2024, held that there was evidence that Ebiseni paid the sum of N20m for the nomination form and was duly issued a form that led to the conduct of the second primary election.

He also maintained that there was evidence that LP ordered Ebiseni to pay the sum of N5m to one Festus Olorunfemi as expenses upon his withdrawal from the governorship race.

Justice Nwite, therefore, ordered INEC to accept the nomination of Ebiseni and Awude and publish their names as lawful candidates of the LP for the governorship election.

On Wednesday, the trial court judgment was however overturned by the appellate court.

Reacting, the running mate to the governorship candidate of the party in Ondo State, Mr Dayo Awude, said the party was yet to get the CTC of the appeal court judgment which sacked Ebiseni.

Awude said there were two cases before the appellate court, one was dismissed by the court while the other was admitted, but since the CTC was yet to be released, the party did not know what to react on yet.

He simply said, “The Court of Appeal sat today (Wednesday). It dismissed one appeal and said the other appeal was allowed. But we have not seen the CTC to know the details.”

The LP deputy governorship candidate also said the party had not issued any statement on the matter.