On Tuesday, all primaries held by the various PDP groups in Ogun State were declared invalid by a Federal High Court sitting in the state’s capital, Abeokuta.
The primary elections must be redone within 14 days, according to the presiding judge, Justice O. O. Oguntoyibo.
The court ruled that none of the PDP’s primaries held in the state were done so in compliance with the Electoral Act’s rules.
The Independent National Electoral Commission was prevented by Justice Oguntoyinbo from recognizing Ladi Adebutu as the party’s candidate for governor of the state.
On May 25, the party held the primary election that resulted in Adebutu’s selection as the governorship candidate.
Jimi Lawal, a former candidate for governor, went before the court to contest the delegate list that the Sikirulahi Ogundele-led party executives utilized during the primary at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in the state capital.
Taiwo Idris, Kehinde Akala, and Ayinde Monsuri, three members of Lawal’s faction, have taken the party, Adebutu, and INEC to court to contest the validity of the delegates lists used to hold the primaries.
As a result, the panel “cannot unilaterally or arbitrarily impose” the list on the party, according to the plaintiffs, who claimed that people on the list utilized by the electoral panel for the primaries were not democratically chosen at the ward, local government, or state congresses.
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 first defendant (the PDP) on May 25, 2022 “to choose the candidate which the first 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.”
They also sought an order directing INEC “to disregard and/or refrain from giving effect to the results of the alleged 1st defendant’s indirect primary election held on May 25, 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.”
Reacting to the judgment the counsel for the plaintiffs, Thaddeus Idenyi, said, “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 is the list which must be considered in the conduct of the fresh primaries.”
After the verdict, Monday Mahwah, the attorney for Segun Showunmi, a factional contender for the party’s governorship, claimed he was in court to defend Showunmi since he had been added as the fourth defendant to the lawsuit.
Afolabi Orekoya, Adebutu’s media assistant, responded by stating that the party and his principal were unconcerned with the verdict and claiming that the court had contradicted itself on the same issue.
He said, “The judgments are three; the one filed by Seriki, the one filed by Jimi Lawal and one other. One said we should include other groups. The other authenticated Sikirulahi Ogundele-led executives.
“The judgment is funny because we have won this same case which was filed by Jimi Lawal in Abuja. So, for the same court giving another judgment, it is funny.”
When contacted, Showunmi said the judgment vindicated him.
“I have heard of the judgment and I am happy over it. I have been vindicated,” he said.
The Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, Akinloye Bankole, said the party would study the judgment before taking any action.
