The Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Wednesday, dismissed a suit filed by the All Progressives Congress against the two candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, Adekunle Akinlade, Ladi Adebutu and the party.
The APC in the state had approached the court, seeking the disqualification of Adebutu and Akinlade as governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the PDP in the State.
The APC had dragged Akinlade to the court for not resigning his membership of the APC before he became the running mate to Adebutu of the PDP.
The APC also complained that Akinlade, having contested the governorship ticket of the APC, was not qualified to be the deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2023 election.
The APC through its counsel Barr. Abeeb Ajayi, in suit number: FHC/AB/CS/149/22, prayed the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission to disqualify the PDP from presenting a candidate for the 2023 election.
But, at the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the APC made a u-turn as its counsel told the court that the applicant wanted to withdraw the case.
In his argument, the lead counsel to the defendants, Mike Ozekhome had prayed the court to dismiss the suit in spite of what it called “the hurried notice of discontinuance filed by the APC when it knew it has lost the case.”
In the ruling, Justice Joyce Malik dismissed the suit and awarded N2 million cost each in favour of all the defendants – Adebutu, Akinlade and the PDP, making a total of N6 million.
The court further warned that parties should desist from approaching the court with frivolous matters.
Meanwhile, the APC in the state said it had withdrawn the suit filed against the INEC, PDP, Adebutu and Akinlade.
The Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Tunde Oladunjoye, in a statement issued in Abeokuta described Adebutu and Akinlade as former candidates of the PDP, explaining that it sought the discontinuation of the suit.
Oladunjoye said the fact that INEC which is the first defendant in the suit, has complied with another judgement of the same court by refusing to recognise Adebutu and Akinlade as candidates of PDP.
The statement read partly, “a disorganised, scattered and crisis-ridden party at the ward, local, state and federal levels like the PDP is totally unfit for Ogun State and cannot govern the Gateway State renowned for many firsts in different sectors of our national life.
“The PDP is like the Bourbons dynasty of France, they have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing.”
