Ondo Election Jegede leads protesters to INEC office, demands 4 weeks postponement of polls

Jegede said if the election holds on Saturday, November 26, it will be in breach of the Electoral Act 2010.

Mr Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State, has called for a four-week postponement of the polls.

Jegede, who was on Wednesday declared the rightful candidate of the party by an Appeal Court sitting in Abuja, led protesters to the State Headquarters of the  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demanding the election be shifted.

He was said to have been accompanied to the INEC office in Akure by a mammoth crowd.

He said he wants the election postponed to ensure that the process is held in full compliance with the provisions of Section 34, 45 and 74 of the Electoral Act 201o as amended.

In a letter he wrote to the INEC chairman, Mahood Yakubu, he said since the Electoral Act stipulates that names of candidate should be published 30 days before the election, it would be appropriate if INEC starts counting his days from November 23 when the court judgment in his favour.

According to him, this will also allow the party to submit a list of his party’s agents in good time before the election as provided for by the Electoral Act 2010 which stipulates that each party should make list of their party agents available to INEC 14 days before the day of election.

He said: "It follows from the foregoing that any list of agents purportedly forwarded by one Poroye and his fellow pretenders who had been illegally parading themselves as the state executive members of the PDP, Ondo State cannot be regarded as authentic.

"As it is, the peoples democratic party has not forwarded the list of its agents to the commission.

"Whichever way one may look at the situation on ground, the governorship election of Ondo state slated for 26th November, if conducted, will undoubtedly be in breach of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

"It is in light of the foregoing that I request you to differ the governorship election for Ondo State for at least 30 days so as not to conflict the election in flagrant violation of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended."

Jegede's victory at the appeal court came after he challenged the decision of an Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Okon Abang which ordered INEC to remove Jegede's name as the PDP candidate and replace it with Jimoh Ibrahim.