Court to deliver judgment in suit seeking Oyetola’s disqualification July 14

A Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed July 14, 2022, to deliver judgment in a suit seeking the disqualification of Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the July 16 governorship election holding in the state.

Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date, yesterday after counsel for the parties adopted their processes and presented their arguments in the matter.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a chieftain of the APC, Alhaji Moshood Olalekan Adeoti, the plaintiff in the suit, filed the matter through his legal team, led by Chiesonu Okpoko (SAN).

The plaintiff listed the APC, Oyetola and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as first, second and third defendants respectively.

Adeoti, an aspirant in the Osun APC governorship primary, prayed the court to nullify Oyetola’s candidacy on the grounds that he (Oyetola) contested in the polls as a member of the party’s Caretaker Extraordinary and Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

He said the act contravened the provisions of Section 222 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Article 31 (iii) of the APC (October 2014 as Amended).

Upon resumption of the matter yesterday, Adeoti’s counsel, Mahmud Adesina (SAN), informed that the matter was adjourned for hearing and that he was ready to proceed with the case.

The judge then directed lawyers to the parties to adopt their processes and argued their case.

Lawyer to the APC, Dr. A. I. Layonu (SAN), argued that Oyetola tendered his resignation letter to the APC as a member of the committee on January 19 and that the party acknowledged its receipt.

He urged the court to dismiss the suit.

Oyetola’s counsel, Olusegun Jolaolu (SAN), adopted the submission of Layonu, urging the court to dismiss the suit as lacking in merit and an exercise in futility.

BUT counsel for the plaintiff, Adesina, said the arguments of the first defendant (APC) are misleading and confusing.

Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter until July 14 for judgment.