Abiodun Agbaje, state secretary of the party, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the election in seven House of Representatives and one Senatorial area across the state until the needful is done.
Agbaje claimed that the omission of the Labour Party logo from the ballot paper was a “deliberate act to disenfranchise our supporters," listing seven House of Representatives areas where their logo was missing, including Owo/ Ose Federal Constituency, Akoko South West/ East, Akure North / South, Akiko North East/ West, Ilaje/Ese- Odo, Okitipupa/ lrele, and Ondo East/ West, as well as the Ondo Central Senatorial district.
On 2nd of February 2023, Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja had previously ordered the INEC to accept the nominations of candidates of the Labour Party in 24 states, and to accept the list of senatorial and House of Representatives candidates in Ondo State, either manually or through its electronic nomination portal. The party secretary wondered why the court’s order was flagrantly disobeyed.
The party’s House of Representatives for Akoko South East/ South West, Stephen Adeyeri, and Ondo Central Senatorial district’s candidate, Fiyinfoluwa Bademosi, both echoed Agbaje’s sentiments and expressed their disapproval of the issue. Adeyeri added that the party would seek redress in court if the election was conducted without their party’s logo.
Bademosi said that the Labour Party would either demand that the INEC give them the opportunity to participate in the election, or postpone the entire exercise.
The Labour Party’s determination to ensure that justice is served and that all of their supporters have a chance to vote is commendable.
The Nigerian Police Force should investigate why the court order was flagrantly disobeyed, and the INEC should do the needful and ensure that the Labour Party has a chance to participate in the upcoming elections.