Appeal Court sacks APC
A court of Appeal, Ilorin Division has declared candidate of People Democratic Party, PDP, Raheem Jimoh as winner of Ilorin South seat in the Kwara State House of Assembly.
Declaring the judgement, Justice Hamma Akawu Barka ordered Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to issue certificate of return to Raheem Jimoh without further delay.
Justice Barka explained that the Nigeria Election Acts 2010 as amended states that names of candidates for each party should be submitted to INEC sixteen days to elections, which was not done by All Progressive Congress which had presented a name for election and changed after the elections.
In a remark, counsel to APC, Lawal Jimoh said the court rulings superceede their wishes.
Counsel to PDP, Ebenzer Oguntimehin described the judgment as fair and a fulfilment of their prayers.
The APC had changed the name of Ilorin South candidate from Hassan Elewu to Abdulsalam Sheu after the state house of Assembly elections, hence the certificate of return was issued to Abdulsalam Sheu.
However Justice Barka declared that as there was no backing for such in the Constitution APC does not have candidate hence the declaration of winner to party next with the highest score.
