Ogun 2023: Court sacks Amosun’s adopted governorship candidate, Otegbeye, 26 others in ADC

A Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State has nullified the candidature of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate for the 2023 election, Biyi Otegbeye, as well as the party’s State Assembly candidates.

The court said that the primary election which produced Otegbeye and the state assembly candidates did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

It will be recalled that the Labour Party in the state had approached the court asking it to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognize the governorship candidate and others.

The court presided over by Justice Akintayo Aluko affirmed that the primary election which produced Otegbeye and others did not comply with the Electoral Act.

While the counsel to the Labour Party commended the judgement, the counsel to the ADC candidate said they may be compelled to appeal the judgement after access to the court judgement.

NewsClick Nigeria reports that the immediate past governor of the state and leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ibikunle Amosun had openly declared support for Otegbeye against the incumbent (Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress who seeking a re-election) and his erstwhile political son, Adekunle Akinlade who had earlier joined forces with Ladi Adebutu as a running mate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).