Retired Justice Salami Questions Obi's 2023 Poll Eligibility

In Ilorin, Kwara State, retired Justice Isa Ayo Salami, former President of Nigeria's Court of Appeal, stated that Peter Obi, former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, should not have been allowed to contest the 2023 election due to flaws in his party membership process. Salami made the remarks on Tuesday during a courtesy visit and award presentation at his residence by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

Salami argued that Obi's switch from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Labour Party came too late. By the time Obi exited the PDP primary, the Labour Party had already submitted its membership list to the Independent National Electoral Commission, he explained. The Nigerian Constitution does not permit independent candidacy, leaving questions about how Obi secured the Labour Party nomination without prior membership, Salami said.

He drew a parallel to Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress. Yusuf's name was absent from the New Nigeria Peoples Party register when he ran, though the party issued him a membership card afterward. The register serves as the primary record of...