Supreme Court awards N500, 000 fine as Akeredolu loses case
Akeredolu
There Is No Cause For Alarm, Says Akeredolu
The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed an appeal by Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for lacking in merit.
Akeredolu had by the appeal, challenged the July last year judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which upheld an order by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of Federal High Court, Abuja, granting permission to Olusegun Abraham to serve Akeredolu through substituted means, court documents in relation to the suit he (Abraham) filed.
Abraham’s suit is challenging the outcome of the primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which produced Akeredolu as the party’s candidate for the last governorship election in Ondo State.
In a unanimous judgment on the appeal, marked: SC/698/2017, a five-man panel of the Supreme Court held that Akeredolu’s appeal was without merit.
Justice John Okoro, in the lead judgment, read by Justice Paul Galinje, upheld the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and awarded N500, 000 cost against Akeredolu in favour of Abraham.
Justice Galinje stated: “The appellant went to the Federal High Court to challenge serve of originating summons and other process on him. His challenge was dismissed.
“At the appeal to the Court of Appeal, his appeal was also dismissed.
“He further appealed to this place and filed six grounds of appeal and formulated four issues for determination of the appeal.
“My leaned brother considered all the issues submitted for the determination of this appeal and came to the conclusion that the appeal lacks merit and ought to be dismissed.
“The appeal is accordingly dismissed. Cost of N500, 000 is awarded against the appellant and against the 1st respondent.”
Justices Ibrahim Tanko, Olukayode Ariwoola, Kumai Akaahs and Galinje, who were also members of the panel, agreed with the lead judgment.
Reacting to the judgment, Akeredolu, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Segun Ajiboye, assured the people of the state that there was no cause for alarm over the ruling, which he described as a non-issue.
The governor asked the peace-loving people to dismiss the ruling, adding that it is nothing to worry about and advised them to continue to support his administration in its determination to develop the state.
“What the Supreme court ruled on was whether the service of the Originating Process on the APC secretariat in Abuja, instead of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, was right or not.
“At best, the ruling only succeeded in correcting Abraham to serve Akeredolu through substituted means in relation to the suit he (Abraham) filed.
“Akeredolu, therefore, wants to state equivocally that there is no cause for alarm over the ruling delivered by the Supreme Court,” Ajiboye said.
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