Your cases have no leg to stand on – Again, Adebutu floors Jimi Lawal, others at Supreme Court
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Your cases have no leg to stand on – Again, Adebutu floors Jimi Lawal, others at Supreme Court

Jan. 24, 2023

Your cases have no leg to stand on – Again, Adebutu floors Jimi Lawal, others at Supreme Court

Admin By Adewale Adewale
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The crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State might have been put to rest following the triumph of the governorship candidate of the Party, Ladi Adebutu at the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The Supreme court dismissed four appeals brought against the candidature of Adebutu, saying the cases have no leg to stand on.

The appeals instituted by one of the governorship aspirants, Jimi Lawal, and some ward delegates were dismissed on the grounds that the appellants have no cause of action.

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, leading a panel of five justices of the Supreme Court, dismissed the appeals following their withdrawals by the respective lawyers.

In one of the appeals filed by Tayo Olabode against Adebutu, the appeal was dismissed on the ground that the delegates who filed the action lacked locus standi to do so.

The Court said the delegates who claimed to have been disenfranchised in the PDP primary election that produced Adebutu cannot initiate any court action against the primary election since they were not aspirants in the election.

The apex court held that the law was clear that only an aspirant in a primary election conducted for the purpose of nominating candidates for election, could lawfully challenge the outcome and not any other party member.

In another appeal that was predicated on the failure to serve originating summon on the defendant, the Court held that since the aggrieved defendants participated in the matter from the beginning to the end, the issue of service can no longer take the front burner.

The counsel in the appeals marked SC/CS/ 1599, SC/CS/1601/22 and SC/CS/1602/22, Deji Eniseyin had made concerted efforts to sway the justices to the side of the Appellants.

He however succumbed when he admitted that his clients participated in the trial fully, though in protest.

Olabode who led a team of the ward delegates, had in his suit on behalf of his colleagues, alleged that they were disenfranchised from participating in the governorship primary election.

He requested the court to quash the primary election that produced Adebutu on the ground that unlawful delegates list was used for the conduct of the primary election.

At the proceedings, the Justices put various questions to the lawyers in the appeals, which were answered negatively.

It was unanimously agreed in the open court that, notwithstanding the anger of the aggrieved ward delegates, they are not legally permitted by law to challenge a primary election in which they were not aspirants.

Based on the findings, the appellant lawyers comprising Chukwudi Enebeli and Deji Eniseyin, said they were painfully withdrawing the cases of their clients.

Justice Kekere-Ekun consequently dismissed the appeals on the ground that they have no legs to stand upon.

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