Ogun PDP: Appeal Court Rules Against Fresh Primary

A court of appeal in Oyo has set aside a judgment which ordered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to conduct fresh primaries to elect its governorship candidate in Ogun state.

O.O Oguntoyinbo, judge of the Ogun federal high court, had on September 27 directed the state executive committee of the PDP to conduct fresh primaries within 14 days.

Delivering judgment on Monday in an appeal filed by the PDP, Folasade Ojo, judge of the appellate court, held that the high court erred.

She held that only the national working committee (NWC) of the PDP has the power to conduct primaries.

Two factions of the PDP had conducted parallel primaries that produced Oladipupo Adebutu and Segun Sowunmi as candidates of the party for the 2023 governorship election.

The primary which produced Sowunmi was said to have been monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC).

However, another primary produced Adebutu, a former member of the house of representatives.

Jimi Lawal, another governorship hopeful, subsequently filed a suit before the Ogun high court to contest the delegate list used by the Sikirulahi Ogundele faction during the primary that produced Adebutu.

Other candidates had also approached the court to challenge the authenticity of the Sikirulahi Ogundele-led executive of the party in the state.

The high court presided over by Oguntoyinbo had nullified all the governorship primaries conducted by the party in the state and ordered a fresh election.

However, delivering judgment on PDP’s appeal on Monday, the appellate court overturned the judgment of the high court.