Ogun 2023: Court Dismisses APC Suit Against Adebutu, Akinlade, Awards Costs
THE Federal High Court in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Wednesday, October 19, dismissed a suit filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against Adekunle Akinlade, Ladi Adebutu and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The APC in Ogun State had approached the court, seeking the disqualification of Adebutu and Akinlade as governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the PDP in the state, claiming that Akinlade did not resign his membership of the APC before he became the running mate to Adebutu of the PDP.
The APC also said that Akinlade, having contested the governorship ticket of the APC, was not qualified to be the deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in next year’s election and prayed the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify the PDP from presenting a candidate for the election.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the APC made a U-turn, as its Counsel told the court that the applicant wanted to withdraw the case.
Lead Counsel to the defendants, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), had, in his argument, prayed the court to dismiss the suit despite what it called “the hurried notice of discontinuance filed by the APC when it knew it has lost the case.”
In her ruling, Justice Joyce Malik, dismissed the suit and awarded N2million cost each in favour of all the defendants – Adebutu, Akinlade and the PDP, totalling of N6 million.
The court warned parties to desist from approaching the court with frivolous matters.
