Supreme Court dismisses PDP’s appeal against Aiyedatiwa’s ticket

The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Ondo State governorship candidate, Agboola Ajayi, challenging the legitimacy of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his running mate, Olayide Adelami’s joint ticket.

Delivering the ruling on Tuesday, a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba declared that the appeal lacked merit, emphasizing that the appellants had no legal standing (locus standi) to question Adelami’s nomination.

The decision solidifies Aiyedatiwa’s position ahead of the upcoming gubernatorial election, dealing a major blow to the PDP’s legal challenge.

The court awarded a cost of N8million against the PDP and Ajayi, at N2m each for the four respondents – Adelami, Aitedatiwa, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The PDP and Ajayi had claimed that Adelami presented forged West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate to INEC and that he equally possessed multiple identities.

They had prayed the court hold that Adelami was not qualified to contest the election by virtue of the alleged forged certificate and proceed to void the joint ticket on which Aitedatiwa and Adelami contested the election on the platform of the APC.

More details to follow…