The Independent National Electoral Commission has published the names of winners in the February 25 federal parliamentary elections in Ondo. But the list did not include the name of Gboyega Adefarati, the son of ex-Governor Adebayo Adefarati.

Mr Adefarati seeks to represent the Akoko South-East and South-West federal constituency in the 10th Assembly.

INEC said his name was dropped from the list because of a court order.

The Akure Division of the Federal High Court had disqualified the candidate of APC for Akoko South-East and South-West federal constituency, Mr Adefarati. 

In the list, seven winners are members of the All Progressives Congress, while one is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. 

They are Tunji-Ojo Olubunmi (APC) in Akoko North-East and North-West; Adesida Abiodun (APC) in Akure South and North; Ojogo Donald (APC ) in Ilaje and Ese-Odo; Adefiranye Ayodele (APC) in Ile-oluji-Oke-Igbo and Odigbo.

Others are Odimayo Okunjimi (APC) in Okitipupa and Irele; Makinde Abiola (APC) in Ondo East and Ondo West; Adelegbe Oluwatimehin (APC) in Owo and Ose, Akingbaso Festus (PDP) in Idanre and Ifedore federal constituencies. 

On February 17, the court gave a verdict. It declared the APC primary election held in the federal constituency, which produced Mr Adefarati null and void.

Segun Ategbole and John Adanike, aspirants in the primary election, had approached the court, alleging infractions in the exercise while seeking to be declared winner in separate suits. 

The candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in the federal constituency, Ogunleye Teloye, also approached the court with an originating summons, seeking the disqualification of the APC from participating in the election over the party’s failure to conduct a primary election, before 180 days to the parliamentary poll.

But in her judgment, Justice T.B. Adegoke held that the APC had no candidate for the House of Representatives election, pointing out that the party did not hold a valid primary election.

She restrained the APC from conducting any primary poll as the window had closed, as the time the party had left was shorter than the 180 days allowed by the Electoral Act 2022.

The judge also restrained INEC from accepting the name of the third defendant APC, the plaintiffs, Messrs Ategbole and Adanike, or any name from APC. She prohibited Mr Adefarati from parading himself as the candidate of APC for the February 25 election.