Ayobamiji Komolafe 
Barely 48- hours to the anticipated Ondo State Gubernatorial electio, a Court of Appeal in Abuja has disqualified Olusola Ebiseni as the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for Saturday’s poll.
The three-member panel, led by Justice Hamma Barka with a lead judgment read by Justice Adebukola Banjoko, allowed the Labour Party’s appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024.
The court decision overturns an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court, which had validated Ebiseni’s candidacy.
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Justice Banjoko stated that the Certified True Copy of the judgment would be provided to all parties soon.
Also, Justice Abba Mohammed concurred with the ruling.
Previously, the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Ebiseni and Ezekiel Awude as the Labour Party’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates, following a second primary election.
Justice Nwite noted that Ebiseni had fulfilled all necessary conditions, including paying the N20 million nomination fee and an additional N5 million to compensate Festus Olorunfemi for withdrawing from the race.
However, with the recent Appeal Court judgment, INEC is no longer required to accept Ebiseni as the Labour Party’s candidate for the upcoming polls.
