Victor Akinkuolie ,Ado-Ekiti.

The Federal High Court sitting in Ado- Ekiti, capital of Ekiti State, has commenced hearing on the case filed by one of the leading aspirants during the Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election,  Kayode Ojo.

Kayode Ojo who was declared second during the APC primary, conducted on the January 27, 2022, has approached a Federal High Court Abuja to challenge the declaration of Mr Biodun Oyebanji as the winner of the primary.

In an application with suit number FHC/ABJ/C5/15/2022, dated 9th of February, 2022 and filed by his Counsel, Otunba Olaniyan Bolanle, he challenged what he termed as “irregularities” during the APC gubernatorial primary election of the party.

Joined the suit are; the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all the chairmen of the local governments election committee and returning officers.

In his prayers, Ojo stated that the decision of the party to conduct the 2022 Ekiti State gubernatorial primary election purportedly with the use of political appointees of the state executive as electoral committee is faulty and an aberration.

He equally prayed the court to set aside the party’s gubernatorial primary conducted on the 27th of January 2022 on the grounds of infraction of the APC constitution, guidelines and the 1999 constitution and ordering the conduct of fresh primary by the party.

Other prayers by the plaintiff is the cancellation of the votes irregularly and fraudulently recorded for Biodun Oyebanji during the primary on the ground that the governor elect had run foul of the provisions of the APC constitution and the guidelines regulating the conduct of the party primaries.

He urged the court to declare him (Kayode Ojo) as the winner of the primary being the candidate with the next highest declared votes.

The plaintiff also sought an order of injunction restraining the INEC from recognising Oyebanji as the gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2022 Ekiti State gubernatorial election and restraining him or any other persons or authorities or government as the candidate for the APC.

The case has since been transferred to a federal high court sitting in Ado-Ekiti before Hon. Justice Babs Kuewunmi.While being led in evidence by the lead counsel, Dr. Alex Izinyon SAN, the plaintiff along with one other witness gave their testimony and were cross examined by the defense.

The defense counsel, Barr Kareem Akingbolu thereafter applied for an extension of time for him to file his defense.

Izinyon told the court that he was opposed to the application by the defense for an extension of time for them to file in their defense.