The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State, on Wednesday affirmed the Osun State governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for last Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.
The Federal High Court, Osogbo, had earlier dismissed an application filed by a PDP chieftain, Dotun Babayemi, challenging the validity of the primary held early this year.
Dissatisfied by the ruling, the plaintiff approached the appellate court to reverse the verdict.
The court, however, dismissed the appeal for lack of merit.
The PDP on Wednesday commended the Court of Appeal for upholding the candidacy of Adeleke.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said the judgment had put to rest all contestations regarding the validity of Adeleke’s candidacy.
The statement read: “The judgment is a firm confirmation that the Osun governorship primary was transparently conducted by the Iyorchia Ayu-led National Working Committee (NWC).
“The judgment also affirmed that it was conducted in strict compliance with the provisions of the PDP Constitution and Electoral Guidelines as provided by the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”
The party urged the people of the state to support Adeleke in his determination to institute a transparent, people-oriented and development-based government that would rebuild the state.
