Supreme Court dismisses Ogun PDP, Adebutu’s suit, orders fresh hearing at High Court

The Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Adebutu, have lost their suit at the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the nomination case filed by Jimi Lawal, a governorship aspirant, at the Federal High Court.

The Supreme Court, dismissing the PDP appeal, ordered that the case filed by Lawal be returned to the Federal High Court for fresh hearing.

The Supreme Court in a judgement by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa said that the Federal High Court erred in declining jurisdiction in the suit filed by Jimi Lawal.

The Supreme Court also held that the Court of Appeal in Abuja was right in ruling that the Federal High Court had jurisdiction under section 285 of the 1999 constitution and section 84 [14) of the Electoral Act 2022 to hear the suit of Lawal on its merit.

The Supreme Court, therefore, ordered that the case be remitted to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for determination by another judge other than Justice Taiwo Taiwo who refused to entertain the suit.

Lawal, an aspirant at the May 25 PDP governorship primary election in Ogun State, had rejected the nomination of Adebutu, saying that illegal delegates list was used for the PDP primary election. He sought the cancellation of the primary and conduct of fresh primary election.