Ogun PDP governorship primaries gets new twists as appeal court declares Segun Showunmi as Party’s standard bearer
The Appeal Court, on Monday in Abuja, set aside a judgement of a Federal High court affirming a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ladi Adebutu as the authentic gubernatorial candidate of the opposition party People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Ogun state for the 2023 general elections.
The court however ruled in favour of a factional Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Otunba Segun Showunmi, in a case between him, the Peoples Democratic Party and two others.
According to the lawyers on the case, the implication of the ruling in the suit filed by Showunmi against the party, Ladi Adebutu and co, is that Showunmi remains the candidate of the main opposition party in Ogun State unless otherwise ruled.
The Appellant, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, had complained to the lower court that the Ogun State Exco of the party acted in bias when they allegedly purchased nomination and interest forms for Adebutu, the 3rd respondent, without doing same for the other candidates, who purchased the forms legally, including himself.
The lower court was said to have hastily declined jurisdiction, reportedly relying on Section 285(14) Para (A)-(C) of the 1999 Constitution.
Dissatisfied with the decision of the lower court, the Appellant, Showunmi, immediately appealed the decision through his lawyer, Mawah Monday.
Consequent upon the instruction, his Lawyer lodged an appeal and formulated three grounds of Appeal, which were allowed on Friday.
The Court of Appeal judgement that lasted over one hour, presided over by Hon. Justice Chide Nwaoma Uwa, on Monday, allowed the appeal and set aside the ruling of the Lower Court.
