Court Nullifies Ogun PDP Rerun Primaries, Sacks ADC Candidates

THefederal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, yesterday, declared the purported governorship re- run primary election organised by some members of the state’s chapter of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), led by Mr. Jimi Adebisi Lawal as illegal, unconstitutional and void. The suit filed by the party and Oladipupo Adebutu with number FHC/ AB/ CS/ 220/ 2022 against Mr. Lawal and others came after the rerun primaries held on October 17, 2022 in clear disobedience to the PDP’S guidelines and provision of the 2022 Electoral Act. In the judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Akintayo Aluko, all the three questions formulated in the Plaintiffs’ Originating Summons were resolved in favour of the PDP and Adebutu.

The court declared that the purported gubernatorial rerun primary election of the PDP in Ogun State conducted on the October 17, 2022 was not conducted in compliance with the orders made by the Federal High Court, Abeokuta Division in Suit No: FHC/ AB/ CS/ 83/ 2022 between Prince Adesegun Seriki and Ors v INEC and Ors and Suit No: FHC/ AB/ CS/ 87/ 2022 between Taiwo Olabode Idris and Ors v PDP and Ors both of which were delivered on the September 27, 2022.

The court further declared that the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) cannot validly accept the name of Mr. Lawal as the candidate of the PDP in Ogun State for the 2023 governorship election as the purported re- run governorship primary election is illegal, unconstitutional and void.