INEC explains reason for choosing Jimoh Ibrahim as Ondo PDP candidate

INEC has named businessman Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the November 26 governorship election.

Mr. Ibrahim’s name was posted on an INEC notice board in Akure as well as on the commission’s website.

This implies that until a superior court gives a contrary judgment, Eyitayo Jegede, the candidate of the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the PDP will not be accepted as the party’s candidate.

A court order from an the Ondo State High Court on Wednesday restrained INEC from recognizing Mr. Ibrahim as the candidate of the PDP pending the determination of the substantive suit before the court.

The Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje, however, told PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday night that Mr. Ibrahim was approved as candidate based on an order from the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Okon Abang.

Mr. Abang had on October 14 declared Mr. Ibrahim the true candidate of the PDP. On Thursday, Mr. Abang rejected a plea by Mr. Jegede seeking to be allowed to appeal the October 14 court judgement.

It is based on these two court rulings that INEC approved Mr. Ibrahim as the PDP candidate.

“We received a court order from the High Court in Akure and that was yesterday(Wednesday), but there was a subsisting one by Justice Abang today(Thursday), that is what happened,” Mr. Agbaje said.

Asked if another court order can upturn the situation, Mr. Agbaje said INEC would have no choice but to drop Mr. Ibrahim if another superior order comes in favour of Mr. Jegede.

“That is why we put in front of the name ‘court order,’ to show that the name was picked as a result of an order of the court,” he said.

“The situation will continue that way until the matter is decided by the Supreme Court if the parties choose to proceed to the apex court.”

The commissioner said the politicians had brought themselves into a tight corner, noting that instead of going to the Court of Appeal, they were jumping from one high court to the other.

“Now they have to go on appeal at a higher court,” he said. “They are the ones undoing themselves and like I said, we do not have any candidate. We will only abide by the laws guiding the process.”

Meanwhile Akure, the Ondo State capital is presently locked down following protest by supporters of the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party following the naming of businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim, as the party’s candidate in the coming governorship election.

Eyitayo Jegede, the candidate of the Ahmed Makarfi faction, was the candidate of the party on INEC list until 9p.m. on Thursday when the Independent National Electoral Commission replaced him with Mr. Ibrahim, citing court order.

Streets have been blocked by protesters, and bonfires set up in major highways of Akure.

The traffic situation has accordingly worsened, as vehicles and taxis seek alternative routes to their destinations.

The police are on hand to handle the situation, but the protesters are too many for them at the moment.

More to come