SaharaReporters had reported how one Murphy Imasuen emerged as the winner of the primary election of the federal constituency supervised by INEC officials.
The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure submitted forged court documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission in his move to make a former Edo State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt Hon. Uyinmwen Ativie, the party’s House of Representatives candidate for Uhunmwode/Orhionmwon federal constituency in the state, documents seen by SaharaReporters showed.
SaharaReporters had reported how one Murphy Imasuen emerged as the winner of the primary election of the federal constituency supervised by INEC officials.
Rather than submit the name of the elected candidate, the name of Ativie who recently joined the party from the ruling All Progressives Congress was submitted to the electoral commission by the Labour Party led by Abure.
The action is against the provisions of Section 33 of the 2022 Electoral Act which states that a political party cannot remove or substitute a candidate that emerged from a valid primary.
Whereas Section 31 of the Electoral Act only allows for substitution when a candidate dies or when they withdraw from the race and inform INEC in writing.
The section reads: “A candidate may withdraw his or her candidature by notice in writing signed by him and delivered personally by the candidate to the political party that nominated him for the election and the political party shall convey such withdrawal to the commission not later than 90 days to the election.”
Documents seen by SaharaReporters also showed that Ativie contested the APC primary election for the federal constituency but lost to Chief Billy Osawaru.
Having her on the INEC list is also against the new electoral law which is against contesting in the primary election of another party after losing the primary election of one party.
Instead of complying with the constitution, SaharaReporters gathered that Abure submitted a letter of voluntary withdrawal bearing the name of the original primary election winner, Murphy Imasuen to INEC.
Regarding the letter, an oath was sworn at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
Meanwhile, the court in a letter addressed to Imasuen’s lawyer and obtained by SaharaReporters described the letter submitted to INEC by the Abure as fake.
“I write to inform you that a careful investigation conducted by the court in respect of the attached copy of letter of voluntary withdrawal bearing the name of Imasuen Paul Murphy dated 8th July, 2022 reveals that the court document was not sworn to before a Commissioner for Oath in this court because there is no name of the Commissioner for Oath on the said document and there is no revenue receipt number. Therefore, the court document did not emanate from our court,” the letter signed by Director, Commissioner for Oaths Department, Funmilola Lawal read.
SaharaReporters earlier reported how Ativie paid millions of Naira to be listed as the Labour Party’s House of Representatives candidate for the federal constituency.
In a leaked audio also obtained by SaharaReporters, the Labour Party National Chairman was heard pleading with the winner of the primary election conducted by INEC, Imasuen, to forfeit the ticket to the APC defector.
Abure promised Imasuen juicy offers and said he would be refunded any amount he had spent on his aspiration.
His supporters were also promised different positions in the party.
Imasuen however turned down all the offers and vowed to sue the party.