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| PDP |
The Federal High Court in Abeokuta on Thursday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Peoples Democratic Party to maintain the status ‘ante bellum’ as regards the list of candidates submitted by the party to INEC.
The court said INEC and the PDP should take no further step regarding the submitted candidates’ list pending the outcome of the suit before it.
Justice Abubakar Shittu gave the order on Thursday after entertaining submissions from parties in the suit.
The suit was filed by the Sikirulahi Ogundele faction of the PDP in Ogun State and its governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu.
The Ogundele faction is seeking an order of mandamus to compel INEC to recognise its candidates in place of those on the list already published by the commission.
At the Thursday’s proceedings, the judge granted the prayer of the Adebayo Dayo faction’s governorship candidate, Senator Buruji Kashamu, and others to join the suit as “necessary and interested parties.”
Counsel for Kashamu and others, Ajibola Oluyede, had informed the court that his clients, whose names had been published by INEC as the authentic PDP candidates for Ogun State, had a stake in the suit but were not joined as parties.
But the plaintiffs’ counsel, Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), objected to the joining of the applicants/interveners.
After much argument, the court held that the applicants/interveners were necessary parties that should have been joined.
Thereafter, Oluyede informed the court that they had filed an affidavit disclosing that the plaintiffs were parading themselves as candidates of the party while they were still before the court praying to be declared as candidates.
He alleged that they planned to hold a rally on Saturday where they would be paraded and flags presented to them as candidates of the party even when INEC had not published their names and for which reason they were before the court.
Oluyede submitted that such an action could lead to a breakdown of law and order and render the case before the court nugatory, if the court did not intervene.
He added that the police had already summoned an emergency security meeting based on the tension being generated by the matter.
He prayed the court to direct the police not to grant any permission for a rally where flags would be presented to Adebutu and others.
Alternatively, he urged the court to declare that if such a rally must hold, it is only those whose names had been published by INEC as the authentic candidates of the PDP in Ogun State that should be presented as candidates of the party in the state.
Fashanu opposed the prayers, saying they were speculative.
Ruling on the prayers, the court held that where the issue of a potential breakdown of law and order was raised, it had a duty to look at it and take steps to prevent it, adding that the rule of law was the basis upon which INEC and the parties conducted their activities.
The court then directed the plaintiffs and the respondents and their counsel to refrain from being used to foist a fait accompli on the court or cause a breakdown of law and order.
The court said INEC and the PDP should take no further step regarding the submitted candidates’ list pending the outcome of the suit before it.
Justice Abubakar Shittu gave the order on Thursday after entertaining submissions from parties in the suit.
The suit was filed by the Sikirulahi Ogundele faction of the PDP in Ogun State and its governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu.
The Ogundele faction is seeking an order of mandamus to compel INEC to recognise its candidates in place of those on the list already published by the commission.
At the Thursday’s proceedings, the judge granted the prayer of the Adebayo Dayo faction’s governorship candidate, Senator Buruji Kashamu, and others to join the suit as “necessary and interested parties.”
Counsel for Kashamu and others, Ajibola Oluyede, had informed the court that his clients, whose names had been published by INEC as the authentic PDP candidates for Ogun State, had a stake in the suit but were not joined as parties.
But the plaintiffs’ counsel, Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), objected to the joining of the applicants/interveners.
After much argument, the court held that the applicants/interveners were necessary parties that should have been joined.
Thereafter, Oluyede informed the court that they had filed an affidavit disclosing that the plaintiffs were parading themselves as candidates of the party while they were still before the court praying to be declared as candidates.
He alleged that they planned to hold a rally on Saturday where they would be paraded and flags presented to them as candidates of the party even when INEC had not published their names and for which reason they were before the court.
Oluyede submitted that such an action could lead to a breakdown of law and order and render the case before the court nugatory, if the court did not intervene.
He added that the police had already summoned an emergency security meeting based on the tension being generated by the matter.
He prayed the court to direct the police not to grant any permission for a rally where flags would be presented to Adebutu and others.
Alternatively, he urged the court to declare that if such a rally must hold, it is only those whose names had been published by INEC as the authentic candidates of the PDP in Ogun State that should be presented as candidates of the party in the state.
Fashanu opposed the prayers, saying they were speculative.
Ruling on the prayers, the court held that where the issue of a potential breakdown of law and order was raised, it had a duty to look at it and take steps to prevent it, adding that the rule of law was the basis upon which INEC and the parties conducted their activities.
The court then directed the plaintiffs and the respondents and their counsel to refrain from being used to foist a fait accompli on the court or cause a breakdown of law and order.
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