By Chris Chimezie
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The two year legal tussle to unseat Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) by a member of his party, Chief Segun Abraham has crashed like a pack of cards at the Supreme Court.

In a unanimous verdict yesterday, the highest court threw out the case for lack of competence and being statue barred.

The court held that Abraham failed to file his case within the stipulated 14 days after the cause of action.

According to the court, Abraham approached the court 28 days after the primary election he was challenging instead of the stipulated 14 days.

One of the counsel to Governor Akeredolu, Olumide Olujinmi explained that “there is an interlocutory appeal to the court of Appeal and the appeal Court said by virtues of the court operations, nobody has the right to interlocutory appeal

“It’s that complain we took to the Supreme Court that we have a right to interlocutory appeal and the Supreme Court, said that the case that is pending at the Federal High Court was not competent. So, there is no need for argument and therefore struck out the case.”

Meanwhile, Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has described his over two year legal battle victory at the Supreme Court with a party member, Mr Segun Abraham as a victory for the entire progressive family of the Sunshine State including his challenger, Mr Abraham.

His reaction was contained in a press statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Yemi Olowolabi, a copy which was made available to The Hope.

The Supreme Court had on Tuesday in Abuja thrashed the suit filed by Segun Abraham in which he challenged Akeredolu’s victory at the 2016 APC governorship primary in Ondo State.

The Apex court held that, in line with the provision of the fourth alteration especially Section 285(11) of the 1999 constitution, that Segun Abraham failed to file his case within the stipulated 14 days after the cause of action, thus statute barred.

According to the statement, the Governor expressed his appreciation to the people of State and the All Progressives Congress (APC), for standing by him and his government during the legal battle between himself and a party member, Mr. Segun Abraham.

“The victory is for all Nigerians who believe in the rule of law and democracy, adding that there is no victor or vanquished in the ruling.

He further described as victory for democracy, the  judgement of the Supreme Court, which struck out the case instituted against him by Olusegun Abraham, who came second in the keenly contested September 3, 2016 All Progressives Congress, APC,  Governorship primary election in Ondo State.

While appreciating the people of Ondo State and members of the, APC, for their steadfastness throughout the period of the needless litigation, Akeredolu called on Mr. Segun Abraham to join hands with him in the patriotic task of building a new Ondo State.

The Governor says “there is no victor, no vanquished. The victory is for everyone who wants the best for Ondo State and Segun Abraham is one of us. In other words, we are all winners”, he said.

Arakunrin Akeredolu, therefore, dedicates the victory to the people of Ondo State, who he described as democrats to the core.