2019: PDP leadership kicks as INEC dumps its Ogun candidates list for Kashamu’s

The decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise Ogun State candidates’ list sent to it by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national leadership has got the opposition party kicking and fuming.

INEC had in a letter to the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, said it will only recognise the list of candidates for the 2019 general elections submitted to it by Ogun State Executive Committee of the party led by Adebayo Dayo.

In the letter by the electoral body dated October 25, 2019 and signed by its acting secretary, Okechukwu Ndeche, INEC said its decision was in obedience to the Federal High Court ruling that it recognise the Dayo led Ogun State Executive Committee of the PDP as authentic.

INEC added that it would abide by the court judgment until they were set aside by higher courts.

The lists of candidates from Dayo which INEC said it has received and would recognise are those of the governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.

“Consequently, the commission hereby notes the decisions of the Federal High Court in the above-referred cases and will publish the lists of candidates submitted by the Adebayo Dayo-led State Executive Committee of Ogun State pursuant to the Orders of the Federal High Court until they are set aside,” the commission said in the letter PDP received at its national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday.

Citing court cases for which the decision was based INEC said in the letter, “The Federal High Court in the matters ordered the commission to recognise Adebayo Dayo-led State Executive Committee of the PDP in Ogun State and receive a list of candidates for the 2019 governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections from the said committee

“Recall that the commission vide a letter dated 12th April, 2018, informed your party of the Commission’s compliance with the judgements of the Federal High Court in Suit Nos. FHC/L/CFS/636/2016 -Engr. Adebayo Dayo & Anor vs INEC & 5 Ors. and FHC/L/CS/1856/2017Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju, (Member, PDP National Working committee) and 6 Ors. vs INEC and 30 Ors. , which affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court in Suit Nos. FHC/L/CFS/636/2016, which is subsisting until it is set aside.

“Further to the above decision, the Federal High Court, Abeokuta Division, on 2nd October, 2018, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CFS/636/2016 Engr. Adebayo Dayo (State Chairman) and 8 Ors. vs INEC & 3 Ors., also ordered the commission to recognise Adebayo Dayo-led State Executive Committee of the PDP in Ogun State and receive a list of candidates for the 2019 governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections from the said committee.

“Consequently, the commission hereby notes the decisions of the Federal High Court in the above-referred cases and will publish the lists of candidates submitted by the Adebayo Dayo-led State Executive Committee of Ogun State pursuant to the orders of the Federal High Court until they are set aside.”

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While Kashamu reportedly has hailed the decision and hopes to see the PDP respect the development, the opposition party leadership is kicking against the decision.

According to the national publicity secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, INEC was wrong in its decision. He argued that the decision is unknown to us and to all laws guiding election in Nigeria, adding that the state chapter of any party does not organise primary elections.

He called on the Professor Mahmood led INEC to try and demonstrate fairness and credibility in the matter, noting that the PDP is already challenging the rulings of the commission cited in court.

 

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