The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out the suit brought by an All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant against the party’s candidate for Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo/Odigbo Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 House of Representatives election.

 

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik dismissed the suit filed by Matthew Oyerinmade, who had contested the emergence of Festus Adefiranye as the APC’s flagbearer for the Ondo State federal constituency.

 

The dismissal came after the court rejected Oyerinmade’s attempt to withdraw the case during Wednesday’s proceedings.

 

The development contradicted a prior statement issued by Segun Odidi on behalf of the MATO Mandate Group, which had claimed that the court granted an order permitting the withdrawal of the suit.

 

When the case was called for hearing, Dr. Remi Olatubora, SAN, counsel to Oyerinmade, informed the court that his client wished to withdraw the suit “for personal reasons,” without providing further details on the motivation behind the decision to abandon the legal tussle.

 

However, counsel to Adefiranye immediately opposed the application, arguing that the parties had already joined issues and that the law no longer permitted the plaintiff to simply withdraw the action at that stage of proceedings. The defense team urged the court to dismiss the case rather than record its withdrawal.

 

After listening to submissions from both sides, Justice Abdulmalik agreed with the defense’s position and ruled that “issues have been joined in this matter. I will make an order of dismissal. I make no order as to cost,” the judge stated.

 

Oyerinmade was among the aspirants backed by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who contested the APC National Assembly ticket but lost out in the party’s primary election.

 

Meanwhile, a source close to the matter has disclosed that Oyerinmade has concluded plans to leave the APC for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he is expected to pursue his political ambition to contest the Ondo South Senatorial District election in the 2027 general elections.

 

Legal experts who have analyzed the ruling suggest that the manner in which the suit was terminated could have implications for any subsequent attempt by Oyerinmade to secure the PDP senatorial ticket.