Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Akure division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, declared Sodiq Obaneyen as the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency in the February general elections.
The court restrained the member currently representing the federal constituency, Bode Ayorinde, from parading himself as the PDP candidate in the election.
Obaneyen polled 107 votes in the House of Representatives primary election, while Ayorinde polled 73.
But, Ayorinde was eventually declared the PDP candidate, a development which caused internal wrangling within the party.
Obaneyen and some PDP members had approached the court to challenge Ayorinde’s emergence as the party’s candidate.
Also joined in the suit were party’s National Chairmen, Uche Secondus, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), party’s state working committee and the Chairman, Clement Fayoyede.
The court, in its ruling, delivered by Justice Dogo Mohammed, declared that Obaneyen, having polled the highest number of votes in the primary election held in the federal constituency on October 3, 2018, should represent the PDP in the House of Representatives election in Owo/Ose constituency.
Citing sections 80 (1) and 87 (9), the court held that the PDP cannot present any other candidate for the House of Representatives election in the federal constituency aside Obaneyen.
The court directed PDP leadership at both the state and national levels, as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Obaneyen as the party’s flag bearer forthwith.