Court Sacks Abia Gov-elect Alex Otti

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano State, presided over by Justice M. N. Yunusa has nullified the candidature of the Abia State Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti, and all the candidates of the Labour Party in Abia and Kano States.

The court ruled that their emergence for the 2023 elections was not in compliance with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.

A copy of the judgement delivered by the court was obtained Friday morning.

The Court in Suit No FHC/KN/CS/107/2023 filed by Mr Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim against the Labour Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), ruled that the failure of the Labour Party to submit its membership register to the INEC within 30 days before their primaries renders the process invalid.

“The party that has not complied with the provisions of the electoral act cannot be said to have candidate in an election and cannot be declared winner of an election; this being so, the votes credited to the 1st defendant is a wasted vote,” the Judge ruled.