In a significant legal development, the Federal High Court in Kano State has nullified the candidature of Dr Alex Otti, the Governor-elect of Abia State, alongside all Labour Party flagbearers in both Abia and Kano States.
The ruling was made by Justice M.N. Yunusa, who stated that their emergence as candidates did not comply with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.
The court’s decision was reached in response to a lawsuit with the reference number FHC/KN/CS/107/2023, filed by Mr Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim against the Labour Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“The party that has not complied with the provisions of the electoral act cannot be said to have a candidate in an election and cannot be declared the winner of an election; this being so, the votes credited to the 1st defendant is a wasted vote,” stated Justice Yunusa.
The judge emphasized that the failure of the Labour Party to submit its membership register to INEC within 30 days before their primaries rendered the entire process invalid.
