Three members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the State of Osun have dragged the party and its governorship candidate in the September 22 governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to court for allegedly contesting PDP governorship primary with a fake certificate.
The plaintiffs sought Adeleke’s disqualification from the September 22 governorship election for allegedly submitting fake certificates to secure clearance for the PDP primary.
Joined in the suit instituted by Awoosiyan Olalekan, Ojejade Thomas and Awodire Sina, filed before the Federal High Court, Osogbo, are Independent National Electoral Commission and the Peoples Democratic Party.
The plaintiffs, in an originating summon dated October 30, 2018, through their counsel, Gboyega Oyewole, SAN, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, said that the participation of Adeleke and his return as the winner of the governorship primary conducted by the PDP on July 21, 2018 for the purpose of electing candidate of the party and his subsequent participation in the governorship election of September 22, 2018 as the party’s candidate, was null and void because he presented false information to the electoral commission.
They also told the court that all votes allocated to Adeleke and his return as the winner of the primary election, which led to his nomination and the subsequent participation in the governorship election as the PDP candidate should be voided on account of ineligibility, false information and submission of false documents.
They contended that by the provision of Section 31 (5) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and Section 25 (2) of the electoral guideline of the PDP for the conduct of primary election, a candidate who gives false information or submits any document that is false to the INEC shall not be qualified or eligible to contest in a governorship election.
They further maintained that, in consequence of the ineligibility of Adeleke, the 1st runner up at the primary election of the party, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, was the lawful winner of the primary election, and the candidate of the PDP at the governorship election, having won the highest number of votes cast by the delegates at the primary election.
When contacted for reaction, head of legal, Adeleke Campaign Organisation, Chief Niyi Owolade said his client had been served.
“Those behind the case are being used and it is a challenge for the party. How can serious party members be talking about that now that we are going to tribunal?
“We don’t have any issue. All we are concerned about now is our petition before the tribunal. We consider this fresh matter as part of plot to distract us,” Owolade concluded.
