Stories from Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
The Senator Alli Modu Sheriff’s faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has hailed the ruling of an Abuja Federal High Court that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Mr Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the party in the state.
The faction in a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Yemi Akintomide described the judgment as “victory for democracy, the triumph of truth over falsehood, Godliness over godfatherism and a sweet beginning of a new dawn for the state.”
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on Friday ruled that Ibrahim who was presented as the PDP gubernatorial candidate from the Sheriff faction should contest the November election.
The party hailed the Judiciary for being the last hope of the common man, saying the judgment has enhanced democracy in the country.
According to the statement, “the judgment has further enhanced the course of democracy and rekindles our hope for better Nigeria through the instrumentality of law by correcting the wrong done by INEC, where Mr. Eyitayo Jegede was erroneously listed as the PDP candidate in place of the rightful person, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim.”
Part of the statement read: “As we have always been saying that as a political party and law abiding individuals, we believe in the court of law and the goodwill of the people of Ondo State not to resort to violence or any act capable of undermining our integrity as citizens of Nigeria; but to always act in the best interest of our people, our state, Ondo and dear country Nigeria.”
The court according to the statement ruled that “INEC shall accept for the conduct of Ondo state governorship election only the nomination of Jimoh Ibrahim for Ondo PDP.”
The presiding Judge of Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Okon Abang ruled that the candidature of Jimoh Ibrahim for PDP in the November 2016 Ondo State governorship election is the authentic one.
…No, Abuja ruling has nothing to do with Jegede -PDP
The People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in Ondo State has declared that the Abuja High Court ruling last Friday, which fuelled rumour of a change in the PDP candidate in the state’s November 26 election has nothing to do with Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), the party’s candidate in the coming election.
It said that the case which produced the ruling recorded “some drama of the absurd” .
Speaking in Akure on Sunday, the state’s Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Banji Okunomo , while narrating the absurdity in the suit, said a counsel, Mr. Olagoke Fakunle (SAN) who took the summon for the plaintiffs also later appeared for the defendants, meaning that he had sued himself.
He said this absurdity also played out in the second process of the suit, when two lawyers from the same law firm, TRPLaw, came out with one appearing for the plaintiffs and the other for the defendants.
The INEC and the leadership of the PDP are defendants in the suit.
Deflating speculation that Lagos businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim, had been given the party’s ticket, courtesy of the Friday’s court ruling in Abuja, Okunomo said the rumour was fuelled by lack of necessary legal interpretation of the ruling that was granted by Justice O.E Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Explaining that neither Jegede nor Ibrahim, was party to the suit that has so far yielded two rulings from the same court, the Publicity Secretary said nine claimants in the suit filed on June 7, 2016 were seeking some reliefs, which in a nutshell sought to determine the tenure and membership of the state executive committee of the PDP in the South-West Zone and in addition, directions in respect of the party primaries for the 2019 general elections.
He said the claimants also sought, inter-alia, a declaration that they were the people entitled to deal with nomination of candidates for the 2019 general elections.
“It should be noted that the Ondo State governorship election scheduled for 26th November was not part of the plaintiffs’ claim and no reference was made to it in the claim,” he clarified.
Election will be tough but I will win- Akeredolu
Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) has said that the November 27 election in the state would be a tough one but that he shall be victorious at the end.Akeredolu, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) stated that he was prepared for the election and he would not be intimidated by any individual or group of people.
Speaking with newsmen in Akure yesterday, Akeredolu said he had already commenced campaigns, adding that the response he received from all the 18 local government areas was favourable.
He said he was in the race to show people what good governance is all about, saying that his government will be masses-friendly.
According to Akeredolu who is also a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, former aspirants for the APC ticket, who sincerely loved the party and are committed to the project, had joined him on the mission to rescue the state.
“The welfare of workers will be our top priority. We will ensure that we pay all the salaries and arrears of workers. We won’t owe salary.
