By Femi Ogbonnikan in Abeokuta
A Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Friday, vacated its earlier interim order restraining the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting the submitted list of the National Working Committee (NWC) which recognised Prince Dapo Abiodun as APC governorship candidate in the upcoming 2019 general election.
At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, the court was intimated of a pending suit involving some of the parties at a Federal High Court in Abuja wherein the Plaintiffs are part of the Defendants.
In his ruling, the Presiding Judge, Ibrahim Watila, vacated the interim order earlier granted and subsequently referred the matter be consolidated with the suit filed earlier before Federal High Court Abuja for proper adjudication.
It would be recalled that three chieftains of the party in Ogun State, Alhaji Bola Adeyemi (Ogun Central Senatorial District), Architect Kuoye Olayiwola (Ogun West Senatorial District) and Mr. Musbau Oyefeso (Ogun East Senatorial District), in a motion exparte in Suit FHC/AB/CS/125/2018, had on Wednesday approached the court to stop the defendants from presenting any other governorship candidate for the 2019 general election pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice before the court, claiming the Executive Committee of the state APC had earlier declared Hon Adekunle Akinlade as winner, following the conduct of its primary elections which was observed, monitored and authenticated by INEC.
In the ruling delivered on Wednesday, the court restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the All Progressives Congress (APC), its National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the National Secretary, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, from recognising Prince Dapo Abiodun as the candidate of the party for the 2019 general election for the office of the Governor of Ogun State.
However, in an interim order, the Judge restrained the APC national body from forwarding any name as the gubernatorial candidate for the 2019 general election for the office of the governor of Ogun State.
After hearing from the counsel to the applicants, J. Olabode Makinde, the Judge retrained the defendants from recognising Abiodun as the candidate of the party for the 2019 general election for the office of the Governor of Ogun State.
Also, the court ordered the INEC not to act on any of the names as submitted by the plaintiffs or the defendants.
