Makinde, other Oyo PDP candidates validly elected, Court rules

An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has dismissed the suit instituted by Ayoade Adeseun seeking to nullify the primaries conducted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Mr Adeseun and another applicant also sought a court order to nullify the election of all candidates of the PDP in the state.

Justice Ganiyu Sunmonu, however, dismissed the case, saying the primary was perfect and in line with the PDP constitution and the guidelines of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the case with suit Number I /956/2018 was instituted by the claimants against the PDP and the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in October 2018.

Lateef Adedigba, one of the defence counsel for the PDP which was the first defendant in the suit, expressed happiness at the outcome of the case.

“We thought otherwise and the judge agreed with us.

“The judge said what was done in the primary conducted was perfect and in line with the PDP constitution and in tandem with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act as amended.

“They wanted the court to set aside the senatorial, governorship, House of Representatives and state House of Assembly primaries, claiming the party did not follow normal procedure,” he said.

The PDP chairman in the state, Wasiu Adeleke, also described the judgment as a victory for democracy.

He assured the state of good governance under the leadership of the PDP.

The Oyo State governor-elect, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday hailed the court ruling.

Mr Makinde, who said it was the hallmark of democracy that the opinion of the minority should be heard, added that the judgment proved that the majority opinion was superior.

In a statement by his spokesman, Dotun Oyelade, Mr Makinde lauded the court for being objective and dispassionate in its judgment.

He appealed to the people of the state to forge ahead in spite of the distractions caused by the suit.

(NAN)