…adjourns ruling on objection till December 8
Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has extended its existing order allowing the National ConventionNational Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to hold as scheduled in Ibadan on Saturday without any interference or disruption.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), O. Adeyemi, had on Friday challenged the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the matter brought before it by the Claimant/Applicant.
He argued that INEC is an agency of the Federal Government and, as a result, any matter involving it can only be entertained by the Federal High Court.
Adeyemi submitted that the Federal High Court order restraining the party from holding the convention was primarily an exclusive matter.
He argued further that, as a result, the court lacks locus standi to entertain the matter and prayed the court to strike it out.
But the lead counsel to the Claimant/Applicant, Mr. Musibau Adetumbi, SAN, faulted the argument of the defence counsel, describing it as an infringement on the fundamental rights of the Claimant/Applicant.
He said the 1999 Constitution guarantees the right to lawful assembly and convention.
Quoting Section 251 of the Constitution, Mr. Adetumbi contended that INEC does not fall within the category of agencies whose cases are placed exclusively before the Federal High Court.
He asked the court to dismiss the objection and proceed with the substantive suit.
After listening to both sides, the presiding judge, Justice Ladiran Akintola, adjourned the ruling to December 8, 2025.
He also reaffirmed that the interim order earlier granted, which restrains the defendants from disrupting or interfering with preparations for the PDP national convention, remains in force.
This order clears the way for the convention to go on.
Speaking after the proceedings, counsel to the 5th, 6th, and 7th defendants, who are seeking to be joined in the suit, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, described the adjournment as an unnecessary delay.
The defendants in the suit are the PDP (1st defendant); its Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagun (2nd defendant); and the Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who chairs the PDP Convention Organising Committee (3rd defendant). INEC is the 4th defendant.
Credit: https://tribuneonlineng.com
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