Akeredolu’s swearing-in faces court hurdle

The ongoing suit filed by a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), in Ondo State, Engr. Olusegun Abraham challenging the election of Chief Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) as the APC’s authentic candidate for the November 28 election appears to be a major hurdle that could make or mar Akeredolu’s swearing-in as Ondo state governor.

The Abuja Federal High Court ruling today has dismissed the preliminary objections raised by Akeredolu’s legal team of 28 lawyers and 2 SAN, and adjourned the trial to February 2, 2017 ahead of the February 27thinauguration date

Abraham had challenged the emergence of Akeredolu SAN as the winner of the party’s primaries in court.

Abraham had through an ex parte motion prayed the court to declare the process that produced Akeredolu as governorship candidate of APC as illegal.

This, he said, was on the grounds that the election did not conform to the constitution of the party and guidelines set by the party for the primaries.

Abraham, who came second in the party’s primaries had prayed the court to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from presenting Akeredolu as the party’s flag-bearer in the November 26 governorship election in the state.

But Justice Dimgba had insisted that since the matter was sensitive, it would be fair if all parties to the suit were present in court before the order was made.

Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), Counsel to Akeredolu, had argued that counsel to Abraham had not served him with the orders of the court requiring the defendants to come and show cause.
Olujimi told the court that because service was not effected, the hearing could not go on.

Before the election, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba had ordered Akeredolu to come and show cause (reason) why an interim order restraining INEC from recognising him as the candidate of APC in the fourth coming election should not be granted, and adjourned the matter till December 16.

It will be recalled that an elected delegate for the APC primaries whose name was omitted, and reportedly loyal to Hon. Bola Ilori, ex-APC chieftain turned-the-campaign coordinator of Alliance for Democracy governorship candidate, petitioned the party Appeal Committee, which recommended the governorship primary cancellation.

The acrimony generated by the padding of the party’s delegates list led to the movement of followers of Olusola Oke and Hon Bola Ilori to the Alliance for Democracy while Dr Segun faced the court.

It is the dissatisfied delegate’s petition Abraham has been leaning on to seek redress.