Adeleke: Why Police Re-Arraigned Osun Guber Candidate

The Nigerian police, on Tuesday, re-arraigned the Osun State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ademola Adeleke, on allegations of examination malpractice.

Adeleke, who was first arraigned on a four-count charge brought against him in September, for alleged conspiracy and impersonation among other offences, was re-arraigned on Tuesday, with the charges increased from four to seven-counts, still bordering on similar offences. The police have accused him of conspiring to procure illegal examination results with workers at the Ojo-Aro community grammar school and arraigned him along with a principal and three others accused of conspiring to commit the alleged crime. The police force also accused Adeleke, a serving senator, of making false documents, regarding his age and violating the exam malpractice act, CAP E15, 2004. Meanwhile, Adeleke, who contested closely with his counterpart from the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Adegboyega Oyetola, is challenging the outcome of the election which saw Oyetola emerge winner. He is accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC of colluding to ensure the candidate of the APC emerges winner in the September elections in the state.

Appeal Court Sacks Kashamu As Ogun Gubernatorial PDP Candidate

The Ibadan Division of the Appeal Court, on Tuesday, sacked Senator Buruji Kashamu and other ‘candidates’ in the Adebayo Dayo-led faction of the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). With this judgement, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu and others who emerged through the party’s primaries are now the authentic candidates of the party in the 2019 election. The three-man appeal panel set aside the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abeokuta which threw up Kashamu and his factional members as the authentic PDP candidates. The panel headed by Justice A. B. Bada, resolved the four issues raised for determination in the appeal in favour of the PDP, saying the appellants were not properly served in the case at the lower court which breached their rights to fair hearing. Both Justices Bada and N. Okoronkwo agreed with Justice H. S. Samani who read the lead judgment. The PDP had dragged the Adedayo Bayo-led faction to the appellate court to challenge the lower court judgment which threw up its candidates. They prayed the court to set aside the judgment on the grounds that they were not properly served before judgment was delivered and that the lower court judge was wrong in his judgment.

Jubilation As Fayemi Defeats Oni in Court

Jubilations broke out in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Monday as the Ado Ekiti Division of the Federal High Court dismissed the suit filed by former Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni, to challenge the eligibility of Governor Kayode Fayemi to contest in the July 14 governorship election in the state. Fayemi’s supporters and well-wishers gathered at the pavilion and Fajuyi Park to celebrate the court victory amid drumming and dancing. Oni, who was an All Progressives Congress aspirant in the election, in the suit, challenged Fayemi’s eligibility on the grounds that the governor did not resign his appointment as a minister 30 days before the party primaries and as well that he was indicted by the Justice Silas Oyewole-led commission of inquiry last year. The commission of inquiry was set up by the former Governor Ayodele Fayose to probe the finances of the state government when Fayemi was governor of the state between 2010 and 2014. Among others, Oni, through his counsel, Chief Anthony Adeniyi, prayed the court to void the votes cast for Fayemi in the primaries for refusing to resign and the indictment, withdraw the certificate of return issued to Fayemi, declaring Oni as duly nominated APC candidate and as well duly elected governor in the July 14 election. But Fayemi, though his lawyer, Chief Rafiu Balogun, who urged the court to strike out Oni’s suit for lack of merit, said Fayemi was not a public servant nor an official of the APC hence the resignation clause was not binding just as he said an Abuja court had quashed the decision of the commission of inquiry. The case, which had earlier begun at an Abuja Division of Federal High Court was transferred to Ado Ekiti last month. Security was beefed up in the court area as no fewer than 17 police pick up vans were stationed around the court in addition to an armour personnel carrier stationed at the pavilion area. Justice Uche Agomoh, while delivering her two-hour judgment on Monday, dismissed the suit for lacking in merit, saying, “I am of the firm view that the originating summons is hereby dismissed.” Agomoh, who resolved the issues for determination in favour of Fayemi, said the governor could not be disqualified on the basis of the report of the Commission of Inquiry whereby an Abuja court had quashed the indictment. The judge said: “Indictment does not satisfy the definition of conviction. He cannot be disqualified”. Agomoh also said: “The issue of 30 days resignation before election does not apply in this case,” saying the applicant’s claim that Fayemi was an official of the APC and a public servant could not be proved. According to the judge, Fayemi, as a minister of the federation was not a public servant but a political office holder and an appointee of the President, hence the 30 days resignation stipulation did not apply. Counsel to Oni in his response, said, “We are going to study this judgment to determine the next cause of action”, The Punch reports