Some Peoples Democratic Party delegates in Ogun State have brought the Independent National Electoral Commission before Justice O.O. Oguntoyinbo of a Federal High Court in Abeokuta for alleged disenfranchisement in the party’s recently concluded primaries in the state.
The PDP, its governorship candidate Oladipupo Adebutu, and three governorship aspirants, Segun Showunmi, Jimi Lawal, and one Abodunrin were named as respondents in a lawsuit alleging that approximately 400 ‘certified delegates’ were prevented from voting in the June 30 election.
Taiwo Idris, Kehinde Akala, and Ayinde Monsuru, among others, filed a lawsuit with the case number FHC/AB/CS/87/22 on behalf of themselves and over 400 delegates who emerged from the 30 April ward congress, the majority of whom have reportedly deposed to affidavits before the court, with the exception of the delegates from the Ikenne, Sagamu, and Remo North Local Government Areas.
They petitioned the court to invalidate the state’s gubernatorial primary.
The aggrieved delegates said most of the people that were disenfranchised were supporters of Jimi Lawal and would have cast their votes for the aspirant.
The PDP delegates alleged that the party chose those who were not elected delegates to vote at the election, adding that it was a strategy to install the preferred candidate of some party leaders.
They further alleged that 400 out of the 728 elected ad hoc delegates from all the wards as well as those elected from 20 local government areas as national delegates were not allowed to participate in the election.
The suit sought to get an order for PDP “to conduct fresh Special State Congress where indirect primary election to choose the 2023 governorship election will be held.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further recognising or parading any person or group of persons not elected at the ward congresses held in Ogun State on the 30th of April, 2022 as ad hoc delegates to vote at the indirect primaries for the purpose of choosing the candidate which the 1st Defendant intends to nominate/sponsor at the 2023 Governorship election in Ogun State.”
The court however granted an order for substituted service on all the parties and has fixed the return date for the 22nd of June, 2022.