Ogun APC, PDP trade words over dismissal of suit filed against Adebutu, Akinlade, others

Lawal cautions against misinterpreting judgment
The Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday, dismissed a suit filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against Adekunle Akinlade, Oladipupo Adebutu and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the nomination of Akinlade as the deputy governorship candidate of the party for 2023 election.

The court also awarded N6 million fine as cost in favour of the defendants.

The court, presided over by Justice Joyce Obehi Malik, after hearing the arguments of the counsel to the defendants, led by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Prof. A. Amuda Kannike (SAN) and other counsel for the defendants, dismissed the suit.

Justice Malik, in his ruling, also awarded N2 million each in favour of all the defendants.

The judge further warned that parties should desist from approaching the court with frivolous matters.

BUT in a counter reaction, APC claimed that it withdrew the suit filed against the INEC, PDP, Adebutu and Akinlade respectively, following the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, on September 27, 2022, which nullified all primaries held by the PDP and thereby stopped its (PDP) candidates for the 2023 elections.

In a statement, yesterday, signed by its Publicity Secretary, Tunde Oladunjoye, the APC said that it was seeking discontinuation of the suit owing to the fact that INEC, which is the first defendant in the suit, had complied with another judgment of the same court by refusing to recognise Adebutu and Akinlade as candidates of PDP.

IN another reaction, one of the governorship contenders of PDP, Jimi Lawal, warned Adebutu, Akinlade and others to steer clear of what it described as an affront and contemptuous interpretation of court rulings and the dismissal of APC’s suit to mean reaffirmation of Adebutu/Akinlade’s candidacy of Ogun PDP for the 2023 election.

Lawal’s media aide, Austin Onikoyo, said a court of the same jurisdiction could not review, reverse or act on the judgment or ruling of a parallel court.

“It was therefore wrong to claim that the dismissal of the APC suit against Adebutu, Akinlade and PDP was an affirmation of their candidacy,” he said.