…as appellate court dismisses ex-NNPP guber candidate’s appeal, awards N4m cost

Litigation, a wasteful exercise -Ajulo

By Kayode Olabanji

The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has reaffirmed the election of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Dr. Olayide Adelami, dismissing a legal challenge that sought to upturn the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary that produced the duo as flag bearers.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Oyebisi Omoleye, upheld the ruling of the Federal High Court which earlier struck out the suit filed by Olugbenga Edema, candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), for lacking merit and legal standing.
Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke of the Federal High Court had initially dismissed the case, noting that the withdrawal of the NNPP from the suit stripped Edema of any legal footing to pursue the matter.
Undeterred, Edema proceeded to the appellate court, citing alleged irregularities in the APC primary and invoking Section 15 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution in a bid to disqualify Aiyedatiwa and Adelami.
The Appeal Court, in its verdict, threw out the appeal in its entirety, describing it as baseless and incompetent.
The court also awarded cost of N1million each to all four respondents, INEC, the APC, Governor Aiyedatiwa and Deputy Governor Adelami, bringing the total penalty to N4 million.
Reacting to the development, Mr. Remi Olatubora (SAN), counsel to the Deputy Governor, described the litigation as “a wasteful exercise” and hailed the ruling as a reinforcement of electoral justice.
“It is laughable that someone who did not contest the APC primary would challenge the outcome. The court has once again upheld the sanctity of our electoral processes,” he said.
In a similar vein, the Attorney General of Ondo State, Dr. Kayode Ajulo (SAN), said the verdict laid to rest the legal ambiguity surrounding the APC’s primary and validated the mandate of the incumbent administration.
“This judgment is not just a legal victory, but a political stabiliser. It reflects the will of the people and gives room for governance to take full course without distractions,” he added.