A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State, Dr Nathaniel Adojutelegan, on Monday, filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja asking for an order nullifying the nomination of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s as the party’s candidate for the forthcoming October 10, 2020 governorship in the state.
Adojutelegan, who urged the court not to allow Akeredolu to gain from his alleged wrongdoings regarding the July 20, 2020 governorship primary election, prayed for an order nullifying the exercise and ordering a fresh primary.
He urged the court to bar Akeredolu from participating in the fresh primary.
Sued as defendants in the suit are the APC, Akeredolu and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The plaintiff, a lawyer, who was among the aspirants, who lost the primary to Akeredolu, alleged in his suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/886/2020, that “the primary was marred by grave and substantial non-compliance with the spirit and purpose of the 1st defendant’s (APC) constitution, electoral guidelines and the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and these substantially affected the outcome of the primary election.”
Specifically the plaintiff, through his lawyers, A. I Aderogba and D.M Idoko, alleged the delegates’ list used for the primary violated section 87(7) and (8) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), Article 20 (iii) and (iv) (a), (b), (c) and (d) of the APC Constitution 2014 (as amended) and Electoral Guidelines.
According the plaintiff, the list was unlawful and in invalid on the grounds that it was filled with the names of principal officers of the wards, local governments, and state executive committees of the party in Ondo State, none of whom was democratically elected to be delegates at the primary as prescribed by the laws and regulations cited.
He stated, “Unfortunately, these unqualified delegates who were not delegates democratically elected by members of the party from the various wards or at all as delegates were included in the delegates’ list as statutory delegates and members of the Electoral College and formed the bulk of the 2,793 actual voters, most of whom voted for the 2nd defendant.”
He stated that the conduct of the primary the conduct “is not only despicable but is a violation of the mandatory provision of Paragraph 3 of the Electoral Guidelines which requires good compartment and reasonable behaviour by all aspirants prior to, during and latter the screening and primary.
That the purported nomination of the 2nd defendant by the 1st defendant and submission or likely submission of his name as candidate for the general election is arbitrary, whimsical, unlawful, invalid and without any justification whatsoever.”
The case has yet to be assigned to a judge.
Punch