A Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Tuesday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Uche Secondus-led National leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to immediately dissolve the Sunday gubernatorial primaries that elected Oladipupo Adebutu as the party’s governorship candidate for 2019 general election.
The court ordered that due process list of candidates and delegates submitted to them by the Engr. Adebayo Dayo-led Ogun State Executive Committee of the party for the purpose of the 2019 general election be used.
The court, ruling on a motion for interlocutory injunction after listening to arguments canvassed by the counsel to the Ogun State PDP Executive, Mr. Ricky Tarfa (SAN), noted that it had on the 28th of September, 2018 ordered that the defendants should be put on notice and adjourned till 2nd October, 2018, for definite hearing of the motion for interlocutory injunction.
Tarfa said he was ready to move the motion because all the parties had been served and the court was bound by its records.
Justice M. Abubakar Shittu went through the court’s file and noted that the court was satisfied from the proof of service and affidavit in support that all the defendants had been duly served but that for reasons best known to them, failed to file any document in opposition to the plaintiffs’ claims.
The Sikirulai led execuive also did not send in any legal representation despite standing down the case for hours.
After standing down the matter for hours, the court resumed sitting and in a brief ruling delivered afterwards, it held that the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs, having not been controverted, wasgranted as prayed.
The reliefs are: “An interim order directing the 1st Defendant (INEC) to accept or process only the list of candidates of the PDP for the 2019 general election in Ogun State authenticated by the plaintiffs as having emerged from primaries conducted by them for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senatorial and Governorship elections and submitted by the Plaintiffs or their authorized nominees pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st Defendant (INEC) by itself, servants, officials, agents or privies from accepting, processing or publishing the name/s of any person/s purporting to be a nominated candidate/s of the PDP from Ogun Statefor the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, senatorial or governorship election except those who emerge from primary elections constituted by delegates authenticated by the Plaintiffs, convened and conducted by the plaintiffs for the election/nomination of 2nd Defendant’s candidates in Ogun state pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
The court adjourned hearing in the substantive suit till the 7th of November, 2018.