Court of Appeal Confirms Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi as Oshodi-Isolo House of Representatives Member

Court of Appeal Affirms Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi’s Victory

In a significant legal development, the Court of Appeal has upheld the election of Labour Party (LP) candidate, Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi, as the duly elected House of Representatives member for Constituency ll, Oshodi-Isolo, Lagos State.

The court, in its unanimous ruling by a three-member panel, confirmed Onuakalusi’s victory, bringing an end to a legal battle over the election results.

The Background

Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi’s victory was initially declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the election that took place on February 25.

However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Ganiyu Johnson, raised objections and filed a petition challenging the results.

Johnson’s petition was based on several grounds, including discrepancies related to the conduct of the Labour Party’s primaries and Onuakalusi’s candidacy.

Tribunal’s Dismissal

Johnson’s petition was first brought before the State and National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal. In his petition, he argued that the LP primaries had produced a different winner, Augustine Chiagozie Matthew, who was not put forward as the LP candidate by the party.

He contended that Onuakalusi’s name was not on the register of LP members submitted to INEC, and that his personal particulars were not submitted in a timely manner.

However, the Tribunal dismissed Johnson’s petition, citing a lack of merit in his claims.

The Court of Appeal’s Decision

Undeterred by the Tribunal’s ruling, Ganiyu Johnson pursued the matter further by bringing it before the Court of Appeal.

The three-member panel of the appellate court carefully considered the issues raised by Johnson.

They concluded that all the matters raised were pre-election issues, falling outside the jurisdiction of the court to adjudicate.

Onuakalusi’s Victory Confirmed

With the Court of Appeal’s ruling, Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi’s victory as the House of Representatives member for Oshodi-Isolo Constituency ll was affirmed.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared him the winner after he garnered 29,386 votes in the election, while Ganiyu Johnson received 16,650 votes.

This legal resolution solidifies Onuakalusi’s position as the duly elected representative for the constituency.

In a unanimous decision, the Court of Appeal has upheld Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi’s victory as the House of Representatives member for Constituency ll, Oshodi-Isolo, Lagos State.

This ruling concludes a legal dispute over the election, which was initially challenged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Ganiyu Johnson.

Johnson’s petition, based on issues related to the Labour Party’s primaries and Onuakalusi’s candidacy, had been dismissed by the State and National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal.

The Court of Appeal, in its unanimous decision, found that the matters raised by Johnson were pre-election issues, falling outside the court’s jurisdiction.

As a result, Onuakalusi’s election victory stands, and he remains the duly elected representative for the constituency.

People