Supreme Court Strikes Out PDP’s Suit Seeking Nullification Of Oyetola’s Candidacy In Osun Election

The Supreme Court has thrown out an appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party seeking to restore the nullification of the candidacy of the immediate former Osun Stae governor, Gboyega Oyetola and his deputy Bendict Alabi in the July 16, 2022 governorship election.

Delivering the judgement on Thursday, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Centus Nweze held that the PDP’s appeal lacked merit.

The panel, therefore, directed the lawyer to the PDP, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN) to withdraw the suit premised on that.

It would be recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja had, in a September 30, 2022 judgment nullified the participation of Oyetola and Alabi in the governorship election on the grounds that their nomination forms were endorsed by an acting Chairman of APC, who was also a serving governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.

However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja in a judgment in December 2022 set aside Justice Nwite’s verdict by affirming the candidacy of Oyetola and his deputy for the state governorship election.

A ruling which the PDP was unsatisfied about and went ahead to appeal the judgement at the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court held that the PDP could not, under the law, question the process leading to the emergence of Oyetola and Alabi as candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.

This is coming barely a week after the Osun Stae election tribunal declared in favour of Oyetola by sacking the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke of the PDP in the state.

Oyetola had in August of last year contested the July 16 governorship election of the state that produced Adeleke of the PDP as the governor of the state.