Labor Party’s Ondo Governorship Candidate Ebiseni Defies Disqualification Ruling
In a candid interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Olusola Ebiseni, the Labor Party’s candidate for the Ondo State governorship election, dismissed concerns surrounding his candidacy, despite a recent Court of Appeal ruling that disqualified him.
The three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Adebukola Banjoko, made the unanimous decision on Wednesday, effectively disqualifying Ebiseni from running in the November 16 election.
However, Ebiseni insists that he remains the legitimate candidate, pointing out that the party’s former candidate voluntarily stepped down due to financial challenges, paving the way for his candidacy.
Ebiseni clarified that the controversy surrounding his primary election is unfounded, stating that the national working committee of the party conducted the election. He explained that the party’s former candidate, Dr. Femi, withdrew his candidacy through an affidavit and that he, Ebiseni, was subsequently selected as the new candidate.
“We have an emerging culture in our party where candidates from the same senatorial district are being substituted,” Ebiseni said. “In this case, Dr. Femi voluntarily stepped down, and I was chosen as the new candidate. I paid the necessary fees and went through the proper process.”
Ebiseni emphasized that the substitution primary was conducted within the required 14-day timeframe and that he became the party’s candidate on July 18. He also stressed that the party’s lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not affect his locus standi as the party’s candidate.
In response to critics who question his candidacy, Ebiseni maintained that he has the necessary documents and certifications to prove his legitimacy as the Labor Party’s candidate. He urged voters to focus on his campaign promises and policies, rather than the controversy surrounding his candidacy.
