The Daily Crucible | Wecnesday, September 28, 2022
A frontline politician in Ogun East and veteran unionist, Comrade Nuberu Adesanya Olufemi has congratulated the People's Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 Governorship aspirant, Otunba Jimi Adebisi Lawal on his Tuesday victory at the Federal High Court Abeokuta, which nullified the May 25th Governorship primaries of PDP for not conforming with due process.
The said primary conducted at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) amid pockets of violence and allegation of using strange delegates list by the party panel,
threw up Hon. Ladi Adebutu as governorship candidate of the party for the March 2023 Governorship election in the state.
Justice O.O. Oguntoyinbo, the trial judge after nullifying the primaries, also ordered fresh one to be conducted within two weeks to accommodate all interests and groups.
Justice Oguntoyinbo also gave directive asking Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise Ladi Adebutu any further as the governorship candidate of PDP in the Gateway State concerning the 2023 poll.
Reacting to the development on Wednesday in a statement titled, 'Your Success At Court Is Beyond PDP,' Nuberu said Lawal's victory had deepened and brightened the nation's democratic process through litigation.
The grassroots politician added that the victory would also help the country evolve a democratic system where constitutionalism is raised and treasured above the wishful dictates and manipulations of the few power mongers.
"Congratulations Sir, on your glittering contributions to our democratic process through consistent litigation.
"With dedicated critique and challenge of all antidemocratic initiatives, we shall collectively evolve a democratic system where constitutionalism is raised and treasured above the wishful dictates and manipulations of the few power mongers," he stated.
The Daily Crucible had earlier reported that a pall of despair and gloom fell on the camp of Hon. Ladi Adebutu after a Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital in its judgement, barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing Iperu born politician as Ogun state PDP governorship candidate in the forthcoming 2023 governorship election.
Aggrieved three members of the party, Taiwo Olabode Idris, Kehinde Akala and Alhaji Ayinde Monsuri had taken the PDP, Ladi Adebutu and INEC to court challenging the authenticity of the delegates' lists used for the conduct of the primaries.
The plaintiffs premised their arguments on delegates' list used by electoral panel for the primaries as having names or persons not emanating from a democratically elected process at the ward, local government and state congresses.
They contended that the panel "cannot unilaterally or arbitrarily impose" the list on the party for the primaries.
The plaintiffs in their originating summons, had prayed the court among others to nullify or set aside the state congress/indirect primary election, held by the 1st defendant (PDP) on 25th of May, 2022 "for the purpose of choosing the candidate which the 1st Defendant intends to nominate/sponsor at the 2023 Governorship election in Ogun State based on the list of delegates who were not democratically elected at the ward congress."
The plaintiffs also sought an order of the court asking the 2nd Defendant (INEC) "to disregard and/or refrain from giving effect to the results of the alleged 1st Defendant’s indirect primary election held on the 25th of May, 2022 based on the list of ad-hoc delegates who were not elected at the ward congresses constituted by the 1st Defendant for that purpose".
Counsel to the plaintiffs, Thaddeus Idenyi in his reaction to the judgement said, the court nullified the election "because it was conducted using a list of adhoc delegates who were not elected."
"The implication of the judgement is obvious, the PDP will have to put their hats together and then conduct a fresh primary as ordered by the court.
"This time around, the court was specific that they have to use the list that has been certified by INEC because after the primary, those lists were submitted to INEC as parts of its report of covering those ward congresses held, so the court has now said that is the list which must be considered in the conduct of the fresh primaries, so the PDP had to just put their house together and use those lists to conduct a fresh primary."
But the Publicity Secretary of PDP in the state, Akinloye Bankole said, the party would first study the judgement to enable her ascertain what course of action to take.
Also, Ogun PDP Chairman, Sikirullah Ogundele has called on party supporters to remain calm, saying there is no cause for alarm over the judgements which nullified the primaries conducted by the party in Ogun State and ordered for fresh one.
Ogundele, in a statement, says the party will apply for Certified True Copy CTC of each of the judgements through its lawyers
The chairman added that the party would study all the judgements and take next line of action at the appropriate time based on the advice of its legal team
He expressed confidence that the party would surely overcome the legal obstacles and move ahead with its preparation for the coming poll in 2023
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