INEC Told To Disqualify Peter Obi From The 2023 Presidential Race Over Violation Of Electoral Act

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been urged by a group operating under the banner of Tinubu-Shettima Connect to bar the Labour Party’s Peter Obi and Ahmed Baba Datti from running in the 2023 presidential election due to what they claim is a violation of the Electoral Act regarding campaign financing.

The phone call happened after Peter Obi’s diaspora followers pledged to crowdfund 150 million dollars and 100 billion naira to back his bid for the presidency in 2023, respectively.

The Labour Party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, then formally established an 11-person Diaspora Committee to oversee fundraising efforts and other initiatives as the election date approaches.

According to the Daily Trust report, the convener of the Tinubu-Shettima Connect, Adebanjo Moyosore, claimed that it was illegal under Nigerian electoral law for the party to raise money for Peter Obi’s campaign from Nigerians living abroad. He also vowed to file a lawsuit to have Peter Obi disqualified from the race.

In a statement he released, he said – “Section 85 of the Electoral Act has clearly explained this; Section 85 (a) (b) provides that any political party that: (a) holds or possesses any fund outside Nigeria in contravention of Section 225 (3) (a) of the Constitution, commits an offence and shall, on conviction, forfeit the funds or assets purchased with such funds to the commission, and in addition, may be liable to a fine of at least N5 million, or (b) retain any fund or other asset remitted to it from outside Nigeria in contravention of Section 225.”

What opinions do you have on this? Do you believe the Labour Party ought to be concerned about this?

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