The crisis rocking the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party deepened on Monday with the Supreme Court dismissing an appeal filed before it on the nomination of the party’s governorship candidate.
The Apex Court consequently ordered that the suit instituted by a governorship aspirant, Jimi Lawal, be remitted to the Federal High Court for a fresh trial.
Justice Ibrahim Saulawa in a judgment in the appeal of the PDP held that the Federal High Court was wrong in declining jurisdiction in the matter of Jimi Lawal.
The Apex Court agreed with the Court of Appeal in Abuja that the FHC had jurisdiction under Section 285 of the 1999 constitution and Section 84 (14) of the Electoral Act 2022 to hear the matter of Lawal on its merit.
The Supreme Court therefore ordered the case be remitted to the Chief Judge of the FHC, Justice John Tsoho, in Abuja for determination by another Judge other than Justice Taiwo Taiwo who refused to entertain the suit.
Justice Saulawa in a unanimous judgment of a five-man panel of the Apex Court ordered that the FHC must speedily hear the case of Lawal against Oladipupo Adebutu and the PDP within time allowed by law.
Jimi Lawal who contested the May 25 governorship primary election of the PDP had challenged the emergence of Adebutu alleging that the unlawful delegates list was used by the party to conduct the election.
