Court orders INEC to Accept LP candidates in Lagos, Kwara Adamawa, Kano, 20 others

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept and recognise the nomination of candidates of the Labour Party in 24 states of the federation for the forthcoming general elections.

Those affected by the court judgement are Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa, Lagos, Kaduna, Oyo, Benue, Bauchi, Ebonyi and Ekiti states.

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Others are Katsina, Bayelsa, Niger, Rivers, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Borno, Osun, Adamawa and Cross River.

Justice Inyang Ekwo made the order, Thursday, while delivering judgments in different suits that were brought before the court by the party.

The court further directed INEC to accept and publish the list of candidates the LP submitted to it from the affected states, either manually or through its electronic nomination portal.

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It faulted the electoral body which it said violated sections 31, 33 and 36 of the Electoral Act, 2022, when it rejected the list of LP’s candidates on the premise that its nomination portal was not functional. (Blueprint)