A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo on Wednesday 18th of May 2022 has discarded governorship aspirant, Dotun Babayemi's request for recognition and has affirmed Senator Ademola Adeleke as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming July 16 election in Osun State. Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel, in his judgement, made the declaration on Wednesday that the primary election was conducted at the WOCDIF Centre, Osogbo, on March 8, which produced prince Dotun Babayemi, was null and void.
It was reported that between March 8th and 9th 2022, the PDP held parallel primaries in the state; One was held at the Osogbo City Stadium, which produced Adeleke while the other was held a day later at the WOCDIF Centre where Babayemi emerged a winner.
However, Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewurujakpo, who presided over the party’s National Congress Committee, announced Adeleke winner with 1,887 votes.
Senator Ewurujakpo was quick to denounce any other poll held outside the state capital stadium saying, “Any other primary held outside this place is invalid and will not be recognised. The crown is here, the palace is here and the authority is here. Any exercise not done here cannot be recognized.
Babayemi then filed a suit in court to be recognised as the authentic candidate of the Party following the parallel primaries, however, after a thorough proceeding and counter-arguments by both counsels, Justice Nathaniel Emmanuel dismissed the suit filed.
The judge said it was only the aspirant(s) that participated physically at the primary conducted by the PDP National Working Committee and not the one conducted by the party’s state executives that have power and locus standi to challenge such suit in court.
He added that Babayemi did not take part in the National Working Executive Committee primary election organised by his party on March 8, which was supervised by the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
