Edo Poll: LP’s Akpata to Know Fate on Candidacy July 19

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A Federal High Court sitting in Benin, Edo State presided over by Justice Babatunde Quadri, will on Wednesday July 19, 2024, determine the fate of Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata as the candidate of the Labour Party, LP in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State. One of the governorship aspirants in the party’s February 23, 2024, primary election, Ken Imansuangbon, had dragged Akpata, former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, before the court challenging his emergence as the LP candidate.

Imansuangbon is challenging Akpata’s nomination on the grounds that the Labour Party did not, among other complaints, follow the electoral guidelines in the election, and that he did not fill and sign the indemnity form.

After two adjournments in the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Benin, the case eventually came up for hearing Tuesday where written addresses by counsels to the plaintiff and defendants were adopted.

Lead counsel to the plaintiff, Aikhunegbe Anthony Malik, senior advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) in his argument, had prayed the court to dismiss the submission of Akpata’s counsels on the ground that the 1st defendant violated the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution which he noted were critical elements of the electoral process.

Malik also averred that the plaintiff had disclosed reasonable cause of action on the matter and therefore urged the court to throw out the submission of the 1st defendant, declare and return the plaintiff as the winner; or on the alternative, void, nullify the primary election and order a fresh election.

He alleged over-voting in the exercise which he noted, runs contrary to the party’s guidelines and the constitution.

In his submission, Kadiri Asamah, SAN, counsel to Akpata, and running mate in the upcoming election, dismissed Imansuagbon’s argument as baseless, and cannot be litigated upon by the court being pre-primary issues which should be dismissed.

Asamah, while adopting all the arguments contained his written addresses, urged Justice Quadri to dismiss the written addresses of the plaintiff which he described as an abuse of court processes.

Addressing newsmen after the court session, Imansuangbon expressed confidence in the ability of the court to dispense justice in the matter. He said his struggle was to bring about a better Edo State for all.