Labour Party (LP), on Thursday, stated that Chief Sola Ebiseni remains the governorship candidate of the party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo.
Director of Legal Services, Labour Party Campaign Organisation, Ojo Tosin Leramo, in a statement signed Thursday, described the report of Ebiseni’s removal as “fake and the handiwork of fifth columnists and political opponents”.
He denied the purported sack of Ebiseni by the Court of Appeal in Abuja Division, as the candidate of the Party saying the suit before the court did not challenge the validity of the Ebiseni candidacy.
He stated that “for the avoidance of any doubt, in Suit N0 FHC/ABJ/CS/1105/2024 filed at the Federal High Court Abuja by the trio of the Labour Party, Chief Olusola Nehemiah Ebiseni and Adedayo Ezekiel Awude as the party’s Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates respectively, the Plaintiffs sought, among other reliefs, that the INEC be ordered to upload the names of the said candidates of the Party for the Ondo State Governorship Election scheduled for the 16th day of November 2024.
“In the course of the case, Kehinde Edun the National Legal Adviser filed a Motion seeking that the name of the Labour Party be struck out of the suit as only he or the National Chairman may sue or authorise a suit in the name of the Party.
“The Motion did not challenge nor in any way deny the validity of the candidacy of Ebiseni and Awude.
“In any case, the court was informed without denial that the processes of nomination of the said candidates were presided over by Julius Abure, Ayo Olorunfemi, Kehinde Edun, and all members of the Abure National Working Committee.
“The court in a considered judgment, per His Lordship Honourable Justice Emeka Nwite, delivered on the 27th September, granted the reliefs as prayed”
He explained further that “Two Appeals were filed, one in which Ayo Festus Olorunfemi sought to Appeal as an Interested Party which Appeal was outrightly dismissed and the other Appeal N0 CA/ABJ/ CV/1172/2024 by Abure which was allowed without details, but certainly not on the validity of the candidacy of Ebiseni and Awude which the Appellant did not make an issue nor challenge at the lower court as an Appeal is a re-hearing of the case at the lower court.
“We are not unaware that the visit to Ondo State, early in the week, by the enigmatic leader and the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Party, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, his authoritative statement on the nation’s democracy and incomparable capacity of our candidates, have escalated the headaches of our opponents and their collaborating in-house merchants who are now more frustrated by the ever-growing popularity of the Party.
“We call on the teeming members of Labour Party and our well-wishers to ignore the tantrums of these mischief makers, go ahead and massively vote Labour Party on Saturday.
“Olusola Nehemiah Ebiseni and Adedayo Ezekiel Awude respectively remain the Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates of the Party.
Speaking on the development, Ebiseni said
“A court judgment isn’t delivered through speculation; it’s based on facts and evidence. I would have expected Olorunfemi to present the judgment he’s been referencing, rather than spreading misinformation.
“Let this be clear to all: I, Olusola Nehemiah Ebiseni, remain the Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate. Any claims suggesting otherwise are unfounded and misleading”.
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