By Akinwale Kasali
Justice Joyce Malik of the Federal High Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Wednesday, dismissed the All Progressives Congress, APC, suit seeking the disqualification of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Gubernatorial Candidate, Olaipupo Adebutu and his deputy, Adekunle Akinlade in the 2023 Governorship Election in the State.
The APC had dragged Akinlade to court for not resigning his membership of the APC before he became Adebutu’s running mate.
The ruling Party in the State also complained that Akinlade, having contested the Governorship ticket of the APC, was not qualified to be the Deputy Governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2023 election.
APC Counsel, Abeeb Ajayi, in suit number: FHC/AB/CS/149/22, prayed the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to disqualify the PDP from presenting a candidate for the 2023 election.
Surprisingly, at the resumption of hearing today, the APC made a u-turn as its Counsel told the court that the applicant wanted to withdraw the case.
Mike Ozekhome, who is the PDP Lead Counsel, in his argument prayed the court to dismiss the suit in spite of what it called “the hurried notice of discontinuance filed by the APC when it knew it has lost the case.”
In the ruling Justice Malik, dismissed the suit and awarded N2 million cost each in favour of all the defendants – Adebutu, Akinlade and the PDP, making a total of N6 million.
The court further warned that parties should desist from approaching the court with frivolous matters.
Reacting to the Ruling, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Tunde Oladunjoye, in a statement issued, described Adebutu and Akinlade as former candidates of the PDP, explaining that it sought the discontinuation of the suit.
Oladunjoye said that INEC, which is the first defendant in the suit, has complied with another judgement of the same court by refusing to recognise Adebutu and Akinlade as candidates of PDP
The statement read partly, “a disorganised, scattered and crisis-ridden party at the ward, local, state and federal levels like the PDP, is totally unfit for Ogun State and cannot govern the Gateway State renowned for many firsts in different sectors of our National life.
“The PDP is like the Bourbons dynasty of France, they have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing.”
