2023: Appeal Court reinstates Adebutu, other Ogun PDP candidates

The Ibadan, Oyo State division of the Court of Appeal, on Monday reinstated Ladi Adebutu as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP in Ogun State.

Justice Folasade Ojo also reinstated all other candidates of the party in the state by setting aside the judgment of a Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Ogun State, which nullified all the primary elections conducted by the PDP.

It would be recaleds that Justice O. Oguntoyinbo had nullified the candidacy of Adebutu and others, following a suit filed by Segun Seriki and others.

But Justice Ojo, in her ruling on an appeal by Adebutu and the PDP against the lower court’s pronouncement, said it is only the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party that has the power to nominate and conduct a primary election.

The appellate court maintained that any primary conducted without the approval of the party’s NWC is null and void.

The lower court’s judgment was set aside for lack of jurisdiction.

Ojo directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reinstate all the PDP candidates.