INEC delists ex-Ondo governor son’s name from reps-elect list over court order

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has excluded the name of Gboyega Adefarati from the published list of the house of representatives members-elect from Ondo state.

Adefarati, son of the late Adebayo Adefarati, former Ondo governor, was elected to represent Akoko south-east and south-west federal constituency in the 10th assembly under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ibukun Emmanuel, the INEC’s returning officer for the national assembly election in the state declared Adefarati winner, after polling 25,872 votes to beat his closest rival, Gbenga Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 18,403 votes.

Stating the reason behind the delisting, the electoral body cited a February 17 court order which voided the party’s primary that produced Adefarati as the candidate for the constituency.

TheCable understands that Segun Ategbole and John Adanike, aspirants in the primary election, had approached the court, alleging infractions in the exercise.

They also sought to be declared winners in their separate suits.

Also, Ogunleye Teloye, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)’s candidate for the seat, had also approached the court with an originating summons.

Ogunleye prayed the court to disqualify the APC from participating in the election over the party’s failure to conduct a primary election 180 days before the parliamentary poll.

However, T.B. Adegoke, the court judge, held that the APC had no candidate for the house of representatives election, pointing out that the party did not hold a valid primary election.

Citing the 180 days window as provided in the electoral act 2022,  Adegoke restrained the APC from conducting any fresh primary poll.

The judge also restrained INEC from accepting the names of Ategbole and Adanike, or any name from APC, just as she prohibited Adefarati from presenting himself as the candidate of APC for the February 25 election.