Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday released a list of 13 governorship candidates and their parties in Ogun State, with the flagbearers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) conspicuously missing.

INEC had earlier said that Labour Party did not submit its list of candidates before the deadline.

But the party vowed to challenge the matter in court saying they submitted it electronically.

Contacted, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Arabambi, said, “We are in court and the matter will be determined by the court this October.”

Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in the state, Niyi Iyalaje, told journalists that the list posted was the one authorised by INEC headquarters in Abuja.

On the list, PDP appeared on the list as number 21, but the names of both the governorship candidate and the running mate were missing.

The commission cited “court order” as reason for the omission on the final list.

Last Tuesday, a Federal High Court in Abeokuta nullified the PDP guber primaries in the state and ordered a fresh one.

The court also barred INEC from recognising Ladi Adebutu, who appeared on INEC’s initial list, as the governorship candidate of the party in the state.

The plaintiffs had sued the party, Adebutu, and INEC, challenging the authenticity of the delegates’ lists used for the conduct of the primaries.

Contacted for reaction, spokesperson of PDP, Akinloye Bankole, said the party’s flagbearers were missing on INEC’s list because the electoral umpire obeyed the court order.

“We have appealed the judgement and we await the decision of the appeal court on the issue.”

Some of the candidates listed by INEC include Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress; Biyi Otegbeye, African Democratic Congress (ADC); and Oguntoyinbo Femi Ajadi for the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), among others.

PT