Oyetola survives as S’Court dismisses PDP’s appeal against nomination

Former Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, has survived the legal battle against his nomination as the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the July 16, 2022 governorship election.

The nation’s highest court, the Supreme Court, on Thursday, February 2^nd, dismissed an appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking to restore the nullification of the participation of Oyetola and his running mate, Benedict Alabi.

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Centus Nweze, held that the appeal by the PDP was without merit.

The apex court directed PDP’s lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), to withdraw the case.

The court held that the PDP could not, under the law, question the process leading to the emergence of Oyetola and Alabi as APC candidates in the election.

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Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja had, in a judgement on September 30, 2022 nullified the participation of Oyetola and Alabi in the governorship election.

The lower court hinged its decision on the grounds that their nomination forms were endorsed by an acting Chairman of APC, who was also a serving governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.

Justice Nwite’s judgement was set aside by the Court of Appeal, Abuja in a judgement in December 2022, a decision the PDP appealed to the Supreme Court.

The Star