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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan has reinstated Ladi Adebutu as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State.
The court also reinstated all other PDP candidates in Ogun State belonging to Adebutu faction after setting aside the judgment of an Abeokuta Federal High Court, which nullified all the primary elections conducted by the party in the state.
Recall that Justice O. Oguntoyinbo had nullified the candidacy of Adebutu and others, following a suit filed by Segun Seriki and others from the Jimi Lawal faction of the party.
Delivering judgement on an appeal files by Adebutu on Monday, Justice Folasade Ojo held that it is only the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party that has the power to nominate and conduct a primary election.
She noted that any primary conducted without the approval of the party’s NWC is null and void.
The judgement of the lower court was subsequently set aside for lack of jurisdiction.
Ojo also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept the names of all the PDP candidates.
