Labour Party to unveil Baba-Ahmed as Obi’s running mate today
Director-General of Peter Obi Campaign Organisation, Doyin Okupe, has submitted a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) withdrawing from the position of Labour Party’s (LP) vice presidential candidate.
LP and its presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, had submitted Okupe’s name on a temporary basis (placeholder) to beat the electoral umpire’s deadline.
Recall that the party had said its vice president would come from the North.
Yesterday, Okupe tweeted: “This afternoon, I submitted my withdrawal letter from the position of vice-presidential candidate of the LP to INEC.”
He added: “A replacement will be announced by the national chairman of the party shortly. I feel greatly blessed to have been part of the foundation of success for the LP.”
The party will, today, unveil Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed as Obi’s running mate at its headquarters in Abuja.
Baba-Ahmed, who is in his 40s, is the proprietor of Baze University, Abuja and Baba-Ahmed University Kano.
Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State has been thrown into confusion, following a court judgment that declared its governorship candidate, Sheriff Oborevwori, unqualified to run for office in 2023.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, sacked Oborevwori over discrepancies in his certificates, ruling that he lacked legal competence to participate in the election.
The verdict followed a suit brought by an aggrieved member of the party, Mr. Olorogun Edevbie.
The plaintiff had, among other issues, contended that the party did not validly nominate the defendant.
He told the court that PDP violated both its constitution and electoral guidelines during the state congress that produced Oborevwori as flag bearer.
Consequently, the plaintiff prayed the court to restrain the party from forwarding Oborevwori’s name to INEC and also restrain the electoral body from receiving or recognising him as the duly nominated candidate of the party.
The plaintiff also sought an order restraining Oborevwori from parading himself as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state.
In his judgment, Justice Taiwo Taiwo held that the suit was meritorious and granted the reliefs against Oborevwori.
Reacting, PDP state chairman, Mr. Kingsley Esiso, said he had not read the judgment to know the next line of action.
He said: “I have not read the judgment. You know, I’m a lawyer and I need to study it before I can speak on it.”
On his part, All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, Delta State chapter, Mr. Omene Sobotie, said the judgment was an indication that APC would win the election.
He said: “I have not read the True Certified Copy of the judgment, so I cannot speak now. But I know that it portrays winning for the APC.”