Court sacks ADC guber candidate, 26 assembly flagbearers

A Federal High Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Friday sacked the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Biyi Otegbeye and 26 other assembly flagbearers of the party. Delivering the judgement, Justice Akintayo Aluko nullified Otegbeye’s candidacy as well as those of the party’s State Assembly candidates. Otegbeye, a lawyer, is the anointed candidate […]

A Federal High Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Friday sacked the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Biyi Otegbeye and 26 other assembly flagbearers of the party.

Delivering the judgement, Justice Akintayo Aluko nullified Otegbeye’s candidacy as well as those of the party’s State Assembly candidates.

Otegbeye, a lawyer, is the anointed candidate of the immediate past governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

The Labour Party in the state had dragged ADC candidates to court over alleged non-compliance to the Electoral Act in the conduct of the party’s primaries. 

Aluko held that the primary election that produced Otegbeye and the state assembly candidates was not monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). 

The court affirmed that the primary election was held in violation of the Electoral Act.

It ruled that Otegbeye and the assembly candidates were not valid candidates of the ADC for the 2023 governorship and state assembly elections.

The court, therefore, ordered INEC to expunge the names of Otegbeye and the 26 legislative candidates from the list of candidates cleared for next year’s elections. 

Reacting, counsel to the 2nd and 3rd defendants (ADC and all the candidates), Tunde Falola, hinted that the party would study details of the judgement and proceed to appeal.