May 18, (THEWILL) – The Federal High Court, Osogbo, on Wednesday, affirmed Senator Ademola Adeleke as the duly recognised gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Osun 2022 gubernatorial election.
A PDP governorship aspirant, Dotun Babayemi, had filed an application to challenge Adeleke’s candidacy, asking the court to recognise him as the party’s candidate.
The PDP had on March 8, 2022, conducted its gubernatorial primary election for Osun State.
In one of the primaries held at the Osogbo City Stadium, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke, emerged the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP.
But at a parallel primary held at WOCDIF Centre, Osogbo, Dotun Babayemi was declared the winner.
In a list of candidates later released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ademola Adeleke was recognised as the duly elected candidate of the PDP for the gubernatorial election in the state.
Babayemi approached the court to challenge the submission and nomination of Adeleke by the PDP to INEC and the validity of the primaries conducted at the stadium against the one conducted at WOCDIF Centre, Osogbo.
Ruling on the application on Wednesday, Justice Nathaniel Ayo Emmanuel, held that Dotun Babayemi did not participate in the PDP primary election.
Justice Emmanuel, who held that the court could not pick candidates for any political party, also added that it was an internal party issue and therefore, the matter was dismissed.
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