The Ondo State chapter of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has distanced itself from a lawsuit filed by its candidate, Olugbenga Edema, challenging the candidacy of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his deputy, Olayide Adelami.
During proceedings at the Federal High Court in Akure on Wednesday, a letter from the NNPP’s National Legal Adviser, Robert Hon, was presented. The letter clarified that the party did not authorize the suit and requested the removal of its name from the case.
Edema’s lawsuit sought a court order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the nomination and publication of Governor Aiyedatiwa and his deputy as APC candidates. He also requested the court to interpret the applicability of Section 15 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) concerning their nomination.
However, legal representatives of Aiyedatiwa, Adelami, INEC, and APC urged the court to dismiss the case, arguing that it lacked jurisdiction and that the plaintiff had no legal standing to pursue the matter.
The defense team included Dr. Remi Olatubora SAN, Kola Olawoye SAN, and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN, representing Governor Aiyedatiwa; Chief Charles Edosomwan SAN for INEC; and Adelanke Akinrata, among others.
Adegboruwa highlighted the letter from the NNPP’s legal adviser, which dissociated the party from the suit, emphasizing that it was unrelated to the APC primary that produced Aiyedatiwa as a candidate.
The letter from the office of the National Legal Adviser dated December 10, 2024, and addressed to Adelanke Akinrata titled “Letter of Instructions,” asked the court to delist its name from the suit.
The letter partly reads: “The above-captioned subject matter refers. We hereby brief you to represent our interest in Suit No. FHC/AK/CS/103/2024, wherein we were purported to have sued the defendants as the 2nd Plaintiff. You are specifically instructed to withdraw the name of the 2nd Plaintiff, New Nigeria Peoples’ Party (NNPP), from the suit.
“The second plaintiff did not instruct the first plaintiff or anybody to sue the defendants in its name. You are requested to liaise with the office of the National Legal Adviser for further details.”
Adegboruwa subsequently urged the plaintiff’s counsel to withdraw the suit to allow the court to strike it out.
In support, Olatubora argued that the presentation of the NNPP’s letter to the court by the party’s State Chairman, Peter Olagookun, affirmed its authenticity and the party’s position.
In response, Abayomi Ojo, the legal counsel representing Edema, stated that his client was unaware of the letter and needed time to review its content. He requested an adjournment to enable adequate preparation to address the letter.
The presiding judge, Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke, noted that the court had a five-month timeline to conclude the case, which was filed in November 2024.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case to February 3, 2025, for a hearing.