Court nullifies Alex Otti’s candidature alongside all LP contestants in Abia and Kano

Justice M.N Yunusa of the Federal High Court in Kano State has invalidated the candidacy of Abia State Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti, as well as the candidacies of all those who participated in the 2023 general elections under the Labour Party (LP) in Abia and Kano States.

According to The Guardian’s report, the ruling was made in Suit No FHC/KN/CS/107/2023, filed by Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim against the LP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The court determined that the emergence of the affected LP candidates did not comply with the provisions of the 2022 electoral act. It further declared that the Labour Party’s failure to submit its membership register to INEC within the stipulated 30-day period before their primaries rendered the entire process null and void.

The Judge stated, “A party that has not complied with the provisions of the electoral act cannot be considered to have candidates in an election and cannot be declared the winner. Consequently, the votes attributed to the 1st defendant are considered wasted votes.”

Otti, the Abia Governor-elect, was announced as the winner of the March 18 gubernatorial election by INEC. He secured victories in 10 out of the 17 local government areas (LGAs) in the state, amassing a total of 175,467 votes.

The state returning officer, Professor Nnenna Oti, declared Otti as the governor-elect based on his highest vote count and fulfillment of the requirements to be proclaimed as such.