The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed an appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that prayed it to disqualify former Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, and his Deputy, Benedict Alabi’s participation in the July 16, 2022 governorship election.
PDP had filed the appeal challenging the decision of Court of Appeal Abuja that upturned the judgment of trial court.
The trial court judge, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja had, in a judgment on September 30, 2022, nullified the participation of Oyetola and Alabi in the governorship election on the grounds that their nomination forms were endorsed by an acting Chairman of APC, who was also a serving Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.
But Justice Nwite’s judgment was set aside in a judgement by the Court of Appeal, in December last year.
Dissatisfied with the decision , the PDP had lodged the appeal at the Supreme Court.
In a judgment on Thursday morning, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Centus Nweze, held that the appeal by the PDP was without merit and directed the lawyer to the PDP, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), to withdraw it.
The court held that the PDP could not, under the law, question the process leading to the emergence of Oyetola and Alabi as candidates of the APC in the election.