Benue Guber: Court Orders Removal Of LP Deputy Governorship Candidate’s Name From INEC List

The removal of the name of Idu Onyiloyi, Labour Party (LP) Deputy governorship candidate for Benue State from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s list, has been ordered by a Federal High Court, Abuja.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment on Wednesday, also stopped Onyiloyi from further parading himself as the deputy governorship candidate of LP for Saturday’s election, having voluntarily withdrawn his candidature.

Recall that Dr Ochechi Adejor had sued the LP, INEC and Onyiloyi as first to third defendants, respectively.

Adejor sought an order compelling INEC to publish his name as the deputy governorship candidate of LP for the Benue election.

However, delivering the judgment today, Justice Ekwo said he had found that the evidence of the Plaintiff (Adejor) in the case was credible.

He said, “I find that the plaintiff has proved its case by credible evidence and is entitled to judgement in his favour and I so hold.”

The judge, however, declared that Adejor was the valid candidate for the LP’s deputy governorship position for the Benue State election, having been validly nominated as candidate for the position following the voluntary withdrawal of Onyiloyi.

He also gave an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from further publishing or accepting Onyiloyi’s name or any other person other than Adejor as the candidate representing LP for the office of the deputy governorship of Benue at this year’s general election.