• Olamiji, Aborisade commend Judge
A Federal High Court sitting in Akure has struck out the suit challenging the eligibility of the Accord Governorship candidate, Chief Adebayo Adelabu to contest the 2023 Governorship election.
The suit with number FHC/IB/CS/163/2022 was instituted by Okikiolu Folorunsho Adebolu and three others against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Accord and Chief Bayo Adelabu on 17th October, 2022.
The Claimants sought to move the court to declare that Chief Bayo Adelabu was not a member of Accord as at the time he was nominated as the Gubernatorial candidate of the party.
Chief 'Bayo Adelabu and Accord through their lawyers, Olamiji Martins and Adedayo Aborisade of Marvic Alpha LP had filed a Preliminary Objection and maintained that the matter was statute barred having being filed outside the 14 days purview provided by the Electoral Act 2022.
It was also contended that the Plaintiffs lack the locus to sue as they were not Gubernatorial aspirants under Accord but that the 1st Plaintiff was an aspirant for the House of Assembly seat of Ibadan South East Constituency 2. The court noted that since the 1st Plaintiff had withdrew his case against the person he contested the House of Assembly seat with, he lacks the locus to challenge Bayo Adelabu's gubernatorial candidature.
The court presided over by Hon. Justice Demi Ajayi also dismissed the suit on the ground that the suit was filed outside the 14 days requirement for the institution of pre-election matters under the Electoral Act 2022.
It would be recalled that Chief Bayo Adelabu was affirmed the gubernatorial candidate of Accord after he left APC on August 3, 2022.
Messrs Olamiji and Aborisade, counsel to defendants commended the judge over her vast knowledge of the law.