politics
legality : Supreme Court orders re-hearing of Ogun PDP governorship case
The Supreme Court, on Monday, ordered re-hearing of a suit that is challenging the legality of the governorship primary election the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, conducted in Ogun State.
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-man panel of Justices, remitted the suit which was filed by an aggrieved aspirant of the party, Jimi Adebisi Lawal, back to the Federal High Court for hearing.
It faulted the high court for previously declaring that it had no jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
In its lead judgement that was read on Monday by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, the Supreme Court, held that the section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, conferred the high court with the requisite jurisdiction bro hear and determine the pre-election matter.
It held that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal was right when it also returned the case-file back to the high court for fresh hearing of the suit on its merit.
More so, the apex court, while affirming the September 30 judgement of the appellate court, directed the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to assign the case-file to a different judge.
It berated the former trial judge that handled the matter, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, over his failure to hear a preliminary objection that was filed by one of the parties, together with the substantive suit.
“It amounted to an act of indiscretion on the part of the trial judge for him to bypass the provision of the law and judicial precedents requiring that the preliminary objection and the main suit be taken together.
“We, as judicial officers, must always bear it in mind that we have a duty to protect the honour and integrity of the Judiciary”, Justice Saulawa added.
He dismissed the appeal Lawal lodged against the Court of Appeal judgement as lacking in merit.
It will be recalled that a three-man panel of the appellate court had earlier vacated the high court judgement that was in favour of a factional governorship candidate of the PDP, in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu.
The appellate court okayed fresh hearing of the matter after it held that the high court judge was wrong to have declined jurisdiction to entertain the case.
It further noted that the statutory 180 days for hearing of the case, being a pre-election matter, had yet to elapse.
The plaintiff in the matter, Lawal, had approached the high court to challenge the delegates list that was used in the conduct of the governorship primary election the PDP held in the state on May 25, 2022.
He contended that the list was not in tandem with names of delegates he said were democratically elected at the ward congresses.
politics
2026: Tinubu Hosts Osun APC Aspirants in Aso Villa, Emphasizes Unity and Consensus Building
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appealed to governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2026 election for unity and consensus-building ahead of the party’s primary on December 13.
The President made the appeal when he met with the aspirants at the State House, Abuja, on Monday night.
The Osun State governorship aspirants who attended the meeting with the President include former Deputy Governor Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Dotun Babayemi, Akin Ogunbiyi, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), Babatunde Hareter Oralusi, Mulikat Abiola Jimoh and Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
Also in attendance at the meeting were the National Chairman of the APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the Chairman of the Progressive Governors, Hope Uzodimma; and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
President Tinubu, who praised all the aspirants for their contributions to the APC in Osun State, urged them to close ranks and support the consensus candidate the party will present for the governorship election in the state. He also advised them to avoid the internal bickering and disunity that caused the party to lose the last election in the state to the Peoples Democratic Party.
While harping on the importance of party supremacy, President Tinubu charged the aspirants to allow it to prevail in choosing the flagbearer, noting that only the party can benefit from it when it wins elections.
“You all have a duty and obligation to the party by ensuring the candidate of our party wins the next election in Osun State. You must strengthen the bonds of unity, party supremacy and collective responsibility. I have absolute confidence in your ability to deliver victory to our party in Osun State. You have my support and that of the National leadership of APC to win the coming election,” President Tinubu assured.
At the end of the meeting, a joint statement was issued in which the aspirants and the leaders committed to support the candidate who would emerge at the primary.
Here is the statement signed by all the aspirants and the APC leaders: “We, the undersigned aspirants for the 2025 Osun State Governorship Election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), having met and deliberated in the presence of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and in the spirit of unity, discipline, and loyalty to our great party, hereby declare as follows:
That we affirm and uphold the supremacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in guiding and determining the most appropriate process for selecting the party’s flag bearer for the 2025 Governorship Election in Osun State.
That we unanimously agree to abide by the party’s decision to nominate a consensus candidate for affirmation at the APC Primary Election scheduled for Saturday, 13th December 2025.
That we accept the outcome of the party-led nomination process in good faith, and pledge our total support to the candidate so nominated and affirmed.
That we commit ourselves to peace, unity, and cohesion within the APC, and pledge not to engage in any act, public or private, that may undermine the integrity of the process or the standing of the party.
That we will work collectively and individually to ensure the success of the APC at the polls and the consolidation of good governance in Osun State.
“We make this declaration voluntarily, in absolute loyalty to our great party, and in recognition of the guidance provided by Mr President and the National Chairman in the overriding interest of the progress and stability of Osun State”.
There was jubilation on Wednesday as Governor Ademola Adeleke emerged the Accord Party’s gubernatorial candidate for the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
Adeleke, who was the sole aspirant, secured 145 out of 150 delegate votes to clinch the party’s ticket.
The outcome of the primary election was announced by the Secretary of the Primary Committee, Abdulazeez Salaudeen.
Barely 24 hours before the Accord Party’s Osun State 2026 governorship primary scheduled for Wednesday, Governor Ademola Adeleke has officially joined the party.
Newsthumb observed on Tuesday evening that Accord Party flags were hoisted in front of the Osun State Government House, where a meeting with leaders of his former party was ongoing.
Adeleke left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following a leadership crisis within the party.
A top source in his government confirmed to The Nation that “Adeleke is picking his re-election ticket in Accord.
Osun Governor Adeleke quits PDP
Olawale Rasheed, the Governor’s spokesperson, also confirmed the defection.
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