Ondo Election: Supreme Court Validates Eyitayo Jegede’s Candidacy

SAN FRANCISCO, November 24, (THEWILL) – All is now set for Eyitayo Jegede to contest this Saturday's governorship election in Ondo state on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the Supreme Court has affirmed the Appeal Court ruling which ordered that he be reinstated.

The apex court on Thursday struck out all appeals challenging the decision of the lower court to replace Jimoh Ibrahim with Eyitayo Jegede as the PDP governorship candidate in Ondo state.

The five-man panel of justices led by the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Walter Onnoghen, held that all the issues raised by factional chairman of the PDP in Ondo state, Biyi Poroye, against Jegede had been overtaken by the verdict of the appellate court.

“The decision of the lower court on the substantive matter yesterday 23/11/2016, that decision has rendered the instant interlocutory appeal academic as appellant has the right to against the said judgement, including the interlocutory ruling.

“In this circumstance this appeal is hereby struck out with no order as to cost,” Onnoghen ruled.

Earlier, Beluolisa Nwofor, counsel to Poroye and others of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the PDP, had argued that his appeal challenging the appeal court decision ought to be heard because the election was on Saturday.

“This appeal is different in its entirety because this is the only appeal coming before the governorship election of Ondo fixed for Saturday and it cannot be adjourned because time is of the essence,” he said.

On his part, Jegede's counsel, Wole Olanipekun told the court that hearing the appeal of Nwofor after the Court of Appeal had delivered judgment in favour of Jegede has rendered the process academic.

His words, “The final judgment of the court delivered yesterday and the ruling makes it pursuit academic.”