Ondo 2024: Appeal Court Sacks Labour Party Gov Candidate, Ebiseni

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has disqualified Olusola Ebiseni as the Labour Party’s candidate for the Ondo State governorship election set for Saturday, November 16, 2024.

In a unanimous decision, the three-member panel, led by Justice Hamma Barka and delivered by Justice Adebukola Banjoko, ruled 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 announced that the Certified True Copy of the judgment would be provided to all parties in due course for review.

Justice Abba Mohammed, concurring with the lead judgment, supported the panel’s decision.

This ruling reverses an earlier Federal High Court decision in Abuja, which had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Ebiseni and Ezekiel Awude as the Labour Party’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the upcoming polls on November 16.

Previously, Justice Nwite of the Federal High Court had upheld the validity of a second Labour Party primary election, which produced Ebiseni and Awude as candidates, and ordered INEC to recognize and publish their names.

Justice Nwite’s judgment noted evidence of Ebiseni’s payment of N20 million for a nomination form and an additional N5 million paid to Festus Olorunfemi as compensation for his withdrawal from the race.

However, the appellate court’s recent decision has now invalidated the Federal High Court’s ruling, thereby disqualifying Ebiseni from the governorship race.