By Akin Richy, Osogbo
The controversy on who flies the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) banner in the July 16 governorship poll was on Wednesday laid to rest as the order restraining the PDP and the electoral commission from recognising Senator Ademola Adeleke lapsed today with Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe refusing to renew an order recognising the claim of one Dotun Babayemi to the governorship ticket.
According to the press statement issued by the Director, Media and Strategy, Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation, Mallam Olawale Rasheed on Wednesday, Babayemi had declined participation in party primary organised by the National Working Committee (NWC) but had since been riding on an ex-parte order granted by the judge presiding over Ijebu-Jesa division of the Osun State High Court. Even after the NWC officially presented the certificate of returns to Senator Adeleke , Babayemi refused to recognise the party leadership.
On Wednesday, the High Court of Osun State sitting in Ijebujesa adjourned indefinitely the suit filed before it by one ADEMOLA ADEDOKUN & 31 ORS against the primary election conducted by the PDP which produced Senator Ademola Adeleke as the governorship candidate of the Party.
Granting an application by Hashim Abioye Esq who appeared for the Applicants dissociating themselves to the suit, the court observed that Abioye has filed and entered appeal for the applicants at the Court of Appeal, Akure marked CA/AK/38/2022 as such he adjourned the matter sine die.
With the development, the ex-parte order made by Justice Aderibigbe has automatically lapsed by the provision of the High Court Rules of Osun State.
Therefore Senator Ademola Adeleke remains the official candidate of the PDP for July 16th, 2022 Governorship election in Osun State.
In an earlier judgement on Osun PDP crisis, an Appeal Court sitting in Akure had noted that the lifetime of an exparte order is seven days, and can only be renewed for another seven days.
An excerpt of the judgement reads that “The clear implication of the above cited rules of the court is that an order made exparte shall AUTOMATICALLY abate after seven days. See Fagbola vs Titilayo (supra), and where the court is inclined to grant an extension, for reasons advanced, such an extension shall not be for a period exceeding 7 days from the day it is granted.”
The Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation therefore repeated its earlier olive branch to fellow contenders for the governorship ticket of the party. This is the time to jaw jaw and unite for victory in July. We urge all aggrieved party members to sheath their swords and join hands with Senator Adeleke to win the forthcoming elections.
The organisation also called on party members to revive the bond of brotherhood to face our common enemy, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In the words of Senator Adeleke, ” We are not enemies; we are brothers. My ambition is the collective interest of all PDP members and the good people of Osun state. We must as a family come together and regain the stolen mandate of 2018″.
