Jimoh Ibrahim has never denied that he belongs to Accord Party, says group

A pro-democracy group known as the Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution (CDNDC) has accused Jimoh Ibrahim of procuring the court order, which declared him the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ondo state.

The group alleged that the billionaire has never denied his membership of Accord Party.

Okon Abang, a judge of the federal high court, Abuja, had given an order to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept Ibrahim, who is of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party, as the Ondo PDP governorship candidate.

Eyitayo Jegede is the candidate of the Ahmed Makarfi faction.

In a petition to Yakubu Mahmoud, INEC chairman, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, Ilemona Onaja and Ojugo Onyeluka, conveners of the CDNDC, asked the electoral body to ascertain if a member of a political party could contest a public office on the platform of another.

The CDNDC also urged INEC to follow the path of established principles of law and decisions of the supreme court.

“Jimoh Ibrahim is a member of the Accord Party, he has never denied that; what INEC must try to ascertain is whether a member of one political party can contest on the platform of another party irrespective of a procured court order,” the petition read.

“We urge INEC to take cognisance of all these facts and act appropriately in the interest of democracy and political justice

“The judgements of the federal high court on the PDP leadership, delivered by Justices Abdulahi Liman, Valentine Ashi and Nnwamaka Ogbonnaya; the combined import of which have validated and authenticated the Ahmed Makarfi led NEC of the PDP.

“When read together, these judgements point to the fact that only the Makarfi led PDP NEC can submit names of candidates to INEC. This was in Edo state and it has also been done in respect of Ondo state, and no any other body or institution has the power to act otherwise.”