After months of judgment and counter-judgment, the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, has reinstated Mr Ladi Adebutu as the Ogun governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Also reinstated are all the candidates of the PDP in state who won the primary for the various positions — Senate, House of Representatives, and State Assembly, Persecondnews reports.
By the ruling, the coast is now clear for Adebutu, Ogun Gov. Dapo Abiodun’s kinsman from Iperu in Ikenne Local Government Area.
The appellate court set aside the judgment of Federal High Court, Abeokuta, which had earlier nullified all the primary elections conducted by the Adebutu faction of the party.
In that ruling, Justice O. Oguntoyinbo had also nullified the candidacy of Adebutu and others, following a suit filed by Segun Seriki and others.
However in a coast-clearing ruling on Monday, Justice Folasade Ojo of the appeal court declared: “It is only the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party that has the power to nominate and conduct a primary election.
“Any primary conducted without the approval of the party’s NWC is null and void.”
She, therefore, set aside the lower court’s judgment for lack of jurisdiction.
The appeal court judge directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to reinstate all PDP candidates to contest the 2023 polls.
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