The Federal High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital, has dismissed the suit challenging the qualifications of Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Olayide Adelami, both candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 16 governorship election in the state.
The suit was filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the election, Agboola Ajayi, through his legal counsel, M Ndoka (SAN).
In his originating summons, the plaintiff said the first defendant, the APC deputy governorship candidate, Adelami, is known by multiple conflicting and irreconcilable names of Adelami Owolabi Jackson and Olaide Owolabi Adelami; arguing that with the conflicting names, the court should disqualify him and the governorship candidate.
He therefore sought a “Declaration that the APC has no validly nominated governorship and deputy governorship candidate for the 2024 election”.
Delivering his judgement, the Presiding judge, Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke declared that the plaintiff lacked locus standi to file the suit
She added that the case filed by Ajayi and his party, the PDP, was statute-barred, being filed outside the 14 days required by the Electoral Act.
Justice Adegoke therefore ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit, having filed through originating summons instead of a Writ of Summons.
