The Court of Appeal in Abuja has disqualified Olusola Ebiseni as the Labour Party’s governorship candidate for Ondo State. The decision, delivered by Justice Adebukola Banjoko on behalf of a three-judge panel, favored an appeal by the Labour Party. This ruling reversed a prior judgment by Justice Emeka Nwite, which had ordered INEC to recognize Ebiseni and Ezekiel Awude as valid candidates following a second primary election. Justice Nwite’s earlier decision had included evidence of Ebiseni’s payment for the nomination form and compensation to Festus Olorunfemi for his withdrawal.
In his judgment on the suit filed by Ebiseni and Awude (marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1105/2024), Justice Nwite referenced evidence that Ebiseni had paid N20 million for the nomination form and was issued the form, which facilitated the second primary election.
Additionally, he noted that the Labour Party had directed Ebiseni to pay N5 million to Festus Olorunfemi as compensation for his withdrawal from the race.
Following this, Justice Nwite had ordered INEC to accept and publish Ebiseni and Awude’s names as the Labour Party’s lawful candidates.
The appeal, marked CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024, was brought against Ebiseni and two other parties, and the court declared the appeal “allowed.”
Justice Banjoko also noted that the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment would be provided to the involved parties for their review at the earliest opportunity.
Justice Abba Mohammed, in his own contributory judgment, concurred with the ruling of the other justices
