Ondo Election: INEC replaces Jimoh Ibrahim with Jegede as PDP’s gubernatorial candidate
The tussle over PDP governorship candidacy in the forthcoming Ondo State gubernatorial election has reached its peak on Wednesday, as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has decided to replace Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim’s name with that of Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN).
INEC rules it will abide by the Appeal Court judgement, which asked that the commission removes the name of Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the election set to hold on Saturday.
Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of the commission, stated that the electoral body would now comply with the Appeal Court’s directive by jettisoning the earlier Federal High Court judgment by Justice Abang Okon, which asked that Ibrahim’s name be used as the PDP candidate.
“Yes, the judgment as we followed it shows that we must replace the name of Ibrahim with that of Jegede,” Oyekanmi told PUNCH.
“We will obey the judgment because this is an order coming from a superior court. We will abide by that decision.
“However, we will expect that the judgment be served on us before Friday to enable us comply. When we are served, we will comply immediately.”
Oyekanmi however maintained the election on Saturday will go ahead as planned, not minding the several calls for postponement by some Ondo youths.
“But we are not going to shift the date of the election. We have passed that stage. The election is going to hold on Saturday, November 24 as scheduled,” he said.
INEC however expects to be served with the order of the court before Friday, so that immediate compliance can take effect.
