By Wole Ayo, ABUJA – The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has issued Certificate of Return to Hon Kehinde Emmanuel Agboola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the duly elected candidate for Ekiti North Federal Constituency 1, Oye/Ikole Local Government Areas of Ekiti State.
The issuance of the certificate was in compliance with the ruling and other of the Federal High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, which nullified the election of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the February 23, 2019 House of Representatives election, Mr. Peter Owolabi.
Hon Bimbo Daramola, an aspirant on the platform of the APC had filed a pre-election matter before the court, contending that the party did not hold primary election as stipulated by its constitution.
In a judgement delivered on April 16, 2019, the presiding Judge, Bello Kawu, contended that the Court has jurisdiction by virtue of the provision of Section 87(9) of the Electoral Act.
Justice Kawu, posited that a political party cannot “act arbitrarily or as it likes” but must follow the provision of its constitution by conducting primary election.
The Judge therefore, ruled “Having declared that the nomination of the Defendant is illegal and unlawful, I hereby ordered the 3rd Defendant (INEC) to retrieve the Certificate of Return from the 2nd Defendant (Peter Owolabi) and issue it to the runner up (Hon Kehinde Emmanuel Agboola) in the 2019 House of Representatives election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency 1”.
Prompt News Online recalls that Hon Kehinde Agboola, a serving PDP Reps Member came second in the election, polling 25,366 votes behind APC’s Owolabi Peter, who polled 31,532 votes.
