Peoples Democratic Party Governorship ticket: Jimi Lawal, Ladi Adebutu to know fate December 1
The two Governorship aspirants of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ogun State Chapter, Hon Ladi Adebutu and Otunba Jimi Lawal will on December 1, 2022 know their fate on who is the authentic governorship candidate of the party in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
Penpushing reports that, towards this the Federal High Court, Abuja, made this known, as it set to give judgment in a suit filed by Jimi Lawal, an aggrieved governorship aspirant in the controversial party’s primary election.
The judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, on Thursday fixed the date for judgement on the suit after counsel for the parties made their closing arguments, and this came days after the Supreme Court ordered the case to be heard afresh by the trial court.
Penpushing further reports that Lawal is challenging the emergence of Adebutu as the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, following controversy which followed the 25 May primary election.
The aggrieved governorship aspirant, through his lawyer, Kanu Agabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), urged the court at the rehearing of the case on Thursday to nullify the 25 May primary election and order a fresh one.
Penpushing also reports that, in his own submission Chris Uche , a Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), who appeared for the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and Adebutu, prayed the court to grant his preliminary objection by dismissing the suit for being frivolous and lacking in merit.
The judge after listening to the lawyers, including counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Bashir Abubakar, adjourned the matter until 1 December for judgment.
Penpushing reports that, it is recalled that Lawal had in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/773/22, sued the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Adebutu, who in controversial manner emerged as the winner of the 25 May governorship primary election of the party in Ogun State.
The aggrieved contestant alleged that an unlawful delegates list was used by the party to conduct its election and prayed, among others, that the purported primary election of 25 May be cancelled and another be conducted with the authentic ad-hoc delegates.
Penpushing further reports that, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, (now retired), had dismissed the suit on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear it, adding that the primary election was a domestic affair of any political party, in a judgement, he delivered on 29 July held that the primary election was a domestic affair of any political party, but Lawal who was not satisfied headed to Appeal court in Abuja too challenge it.
Penpushing also reports that, on September 30, 2022, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, agreed with Lawal, and set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court and ordered that the suit be heard afresh on its merit.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in reaction proceeded to the Supreme Court to appeal against it, and urged the Supreme Court to affirm the judgement of the Federal High Court by declaring the contested primary election a domestic affair which the court should not meddle in.
Penpushing reports that, on Monday the Supreme Court, ordered that the case be heard on its merit by the Federal High Court, and also held that it was wrong for the court to decline jurisdiction to hear it.
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