The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday expressed its readiness to abide by any superior judgment that emanates from the current legal battles between
the two factions jostling for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State.
Justifying INEC decision to recognise businessman Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the PDP in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, the commission’s Director Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Oluwole Uzi, said Jimoh Ibrahim was on the list by the virtue of a court order reaffirmed on Thursday.
He said: “In one sense, the Ondo State Court order came on Wednesday but the Federal High Court reaffirmed its order on Thursday. And so for now, the commission is waiting for the judiciary to guide its decision on the candidate.”
He added: “Now if you say we did not accept it, if we had put Jegede’s name, you will say we did not respect the central High Court order. You draw the conclusion for yourself.
“We have said that we placed him there by the virtue of Court Order, and if a superior Court order comes tomorrow, we will obey that court order.
“Whatever the Appeal Court comes up with, we will abide. We still have some days to the election.
He also noted that even when the commission puts one person and the person wins the election, and the court says he is not the person, he will still be unseated.
“It is out of our hands now; it is whatever the court says.”
The Eyitayo Jegede camp, however, disagreed with INEC in its claim that it relied on the last court order in placing Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim on the list of candidates for the Ondo governorship poll.
According to Jegede’s camp, an order was served the electoral body on Thursday afternoon, restraining INEC from replacing Jedgede as PDP candidate in the November 27, 2016 poll.
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