The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign Director-General (DG), Akin Osuntokun, still remains the senatorial candidate for Ekiti Central Senatorial Zone under another political party; the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). Recall that Osuntokun was appointed the DG of Peter Obi and Datti Baba Ahmed presidential campaign after the resignation of the former DG Doyin Okupe.
Osuntokun, during an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, had stated that he abandoned his senatorial ambition under ZLP to take up Peter Obi’s campaign DG post.
However, the electoral commission has said that neither the new DG nor his party can withdraw his candidacy.
INEC’s Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, told Premium Times via a telephone call that Osuntokun still remains the ZLP’s Ekiti Central Senatorial candidate.
Okoye insisted that it was impossible for the new DG or any political party for that matter to withdraw, submit or substitute the name of any candidate taking part in the 2023 general elections.
He said, “For INEC to amend the names of candidates already submitted at this point, it must be through the order of a court of law.
“The law is very clear the period for substitution and the period for withdrawal in our (INEC) timetable and schedule of activities as well as in the electoral act, has elapsed.”
Okoye however stated that the legality of Osuntokun’s appointment as LP’s presidential campaign DG is not within INEC’s jurisdiction but the internal structure of the political parties.
