2023: Adebutu, Akinlade missing as Abiodun, Otegbeye, 10 others make Ogun governorship INEC list
…Omission of Adebutu, Akinlade by INEC is temporary — Spokesman, Adebutu Akinlade Campaign Organisation
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
The name of Hon. Ladipupo Adebutu claiming to be the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and that of his running mate, Hon. Adekunle Abdulkabir were conspicuously missing on the list of Ogun State 12 governorship candidates released on Tuesday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, Gov. Dapo Abiodun and his Deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele seeking second term under the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as Biyi Otegbeye vying for the plum job of leading the Gateway State made the list.
Others who made the governorship list includes Engr. Anthony Ojesina of SDP, Femi Oguntoyinbo of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Hon Harrison Adeyemi of African Action Congress (AAC), Sokunbi Kazeem Olanrewaju of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Late David Bamgbose of Peoples Redemptive Party (PRP) who died last month and five others.
It will be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting at Abeokuta as well as an Abuja Appeal Court had last week nullified the primary elections that produced Hon. Ladipupo Adebutu as the party’s governorship candidate for Ogun State.
The Federal High Court presided over by Justice Oguntoyinbo had ordered for a fresh primary elections within 14 days, while it also barred INEC from recognising any PDP candidates from the state.
In one of the court cases, Otunba Jimi Lawal, one of the party’s governorship aspirants had dragged Adebutu and PDP before the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking for the nullification of the governorship primary elections, claiming among other things that the delegates who participated in the primary were not those that were elected at the various Ward Congresses for the same purpose.
Meanwhile, the Media Director of Adebutu/Akinlade Campaign Organization, Afolabi Orekoya has said that the omission of the PDP governorship candidate, Hon. Ladipupo Adebutu and his Deputy, Hon Adekunle Abdulkabir Akinlade by INEC was just temporary.
In a statement titled “Ogun PDP candidates remain unstoppable,” Orekoya stated that INEC was only temporarily stepping down publishing of the party’s governorship candidate pending determination of an appeal filed against the last week Tuesday judgement of Justice Oguntoyinbo of Abeokuta Federal High Court nullifying the primary that produced Adebutu.
He said, “Sequel to the recent Court verdicts that pronounced the rerun of all the PDP primaries in Ogun State by Justice Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta; the National body of our party in its wisdom decided to appeal the judgements and the appeal actions were immediately taken on Friday, 30th, September, 2022.
“Due to the fact that the Federal High Court Judgements were served on INEC and as a law abiding institution, INEC therefore, needed to temporarily step down the publishing of our candidates pending the determination by the Appeal Court.
“While we urge our teeming supporters to remain calm and determined as ever, we need to inform them and particularly the general public that we had also filed a Stay of Execution and appealed the two judgements respectively, but due to public holiday on Monday ,3rd October, 2022 to mark the 62nd Independence Day Celebration, INEC was unable to receive the notice and act accordingly.
“It is worthy of note, to inform the public that the party resolved to appeal the judgements due to many lacunas identified in the verdicts delivered which may continue to linger into other legal battles especially when the hands of the opposition are seriously and adamantly involved.
“We thereby appeal to the public that there is no need for panic, they should remain steadfast in the bid to rescue Ogun State from the shackles and maladministration of APC in Ogun State.
“We are hopeful Justice would not only be done but served timely. We urge the Courts to expedite actions through accelerated hearing, so as to restore the hope of the good people of the State.
“Once again, this is an attempt to temporarily distract our numerous supporters from the resoluteness and plans for the general election that will eventually lead to the resumption of PDP to power in Ogun State but we should remain undeterred.”
