Court Adjourns Case Challenging APC Candidate’s Nomination in Ogun LG Elections

The Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Tuesday adjourned the case seeking to void the nomination of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Olusola Akinbode, for the November 16 local government elections.

The plaintiff, Gbenga Akinwande, is challenging the APC primaries that led to the nomination of Akinbode as the party’s Yewa North Council chairmanship candidate.

He also joined the APC and the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) as the first and second defendants in the suit.

Akinwande claims that Akinbode did not participate in the screening process conducted at the APC Secretariat in Ayetoro and argued that his emergence violated APC guidelines and electoral laws.

He described Akinbode’s selection as irregular and lacking due process.

The case, marked FHC/AB/CA/144/24, was heard by Justice Jordan Adeyemi at Federal High Court 2, Abeokuta.

Both the defendants and their legal representatives were present in court, with John Gbenga Apanishile representing the plaintiff.

Counsel for the APC and Akinbode, Edward Ayo Odugbesan, informed the court that the defendants were still within the 30-day period to respond to the suit.

However, he noted that a preliminary objection had been filed on October 28, arguing that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to initiate the case. He further disclosed that OGSIEC had submitted a counter-affidavit in response to the suit.

Justice Adeyemi adjourned the case to November 13 to allow the plaintiff’s counsel time to respond to the defendants’ filings.

The judge also noted that some of the defendants’ processes were yet to be served on the plaintiff by the court bailiff.

The matter will proceed to hearing on the adjourned date.