INEC Withdraws Certificate Of Return From APC Lawmaker, Replaces Him

Court Sacks APC Lawmaker, Orders Replacement

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has withdrawn the certificate of return issued to Mr Sina Akinwunmi based on a court order.

Akinwunmi, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker had earlier been declared the winner of the March 9, 2019, House of Assembly election, in Okitipupa constituency II of Ondo State.

But an Ondo State High Court, last month, sacked Mr. Akinwumi on the grounds that he did not win the primary election conducted by the party, Naija News understands.

This follows a suit instituted by James Ololade-Gbegudu through his lawyer, Mr Femi Emodamori, to seek an order to compel the party and INEC to recognize him as the authentic APC candidate.

The court also declared James Ololade-Gbegudu of the same party as the winner the primary, held in October 2018.

Subsequently, the court ordered the electoral umpire to recognize and issue a certificate of return to Ololade-Gbegudu as the authentic winner of the State Assembly election to represent his constituency.

The certificate of return has since been presented to Ololade-Gbegudu at the Commission’s Ondo state headquarters located at Alagbaka-Akure.

The INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood represented by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Dr Akeju said a letter had been issued to Akinwumi to vacate the seat at the House of Assembly with immediate effect while the Certificate of Return earlier issued to him had since been withdrawn in compliance with the court order.

The speaker and the clerk of the state House of Assembly have also been ordered through a letter to comply with the judgement and swear in Gbegudu as a member of the Assembly.