Court Sacks Labour Party Dep Gov Candidate

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja has sacked the deputy governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Benue State, Idu Onyiloyi.

In his place, Justice Ekwo restored Ochechi Adejor as the new deputy governorship candidate of the party.

Delivering judgment in a suit instituted by Adejor, the judge held that Onyiloyi, having voluntarily withdrawn as deputy governorship candidate and deposed to an affidavit to that effect, ceased in law to hold the same status.

Justice Ekwo found as facts that Onyiloyi personally wrote the Labour Party on the withdrawal of his candidacy and gave the withdrawal legal backing with a court affidavit as evidence of withdrawal.

Citing sections 221, 222 of the 1999 Constitution and Sections 29, 31, 32, 33 and 84 of the Electoral Act 2022, the judge said the party is under obligation to remove Onyiloyi and replace him with Adejor following his voluntary withdrawal.

Justice Ekwo ordered the Labour Party to immediately forward the name of Adejor to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for publication as the lawful deputy governorship candidate.

Justice Ekwo also issued another order stopping Onyiloyi from further parading himself as the Labour Party peputy governorship candidate in Benue State while the party was restrained from according any recognition to Onyiloyi as its deputy governorship candidate.