Abia State Governor-elect, Dr. Alex Otti, has called on Abians to remain calm and not be alarmed by the recent ruling of a Federal High Court in Kano, dismissing his candidacy.
Otti reassured the public that the purported judgment should not be a cause for concern, as it is an unjust decision that cannot undermine the will of the people.
Speaking in Abia, Otti confirmed that preparations for his scheduled inauguration on May 29 are proceeding as planned.
He declared that the enemies of democracy cannot thwart the wishes of the Abia populace.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party has dismissed the court ruling as a futile exercise, emphasizing that it holds no significance.
Recall in the case with suit number FHC/KN/CS/107/2023, filed by Mr. Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim against the Labour Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Federal High Court in Kano nullified the candidature of Dr. Alex Otti and all Labour Party candidates in Abia and Kano states.
The court based its decision on the argument that their emergence did not comply with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.
A copy of the judgment was made available to journalists on Friday, with the court ruling that the Labour Party’s failure to submit its membership register to INEC within the required 30-day period before the primaries rendered the entire process invalid.
