By Peter Oriyomi
A federal High Court, sitting in Osogbo on Wednesday affirmed Senator Ademola Adeleke as validly elected candidate of Osun State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to fly its flag in the state July 16, 2022 governorship election.
The court presided over by Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel, dismissed a suit filed by an aspirant of the party’s factional group, Prince Dotun Babayemi, which challenged the declaration of Adeleke as winner of the March 8, 2022 governorship primary poll of the PDP in the state.
The judge ruled that the primary election that produced Babayemi as candidate is null and void.
Former Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and other PDP chieftains in the state held a parallel primary of the PDP at WOCDIF Event Center, Osogbo, where Babayemi was declared the winner.
But a primary held at the Osogbo City Stadium, supervised by the national secretariat of the party declared Adeleke the winner.
In a list of candidates later released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Adeleke was recognised as the duly elected candidate of the PDP
Babayemi went to court to challenge the submission and nomination of Adeleke by the PDP to INEC and the validity of the primaries conducted at stadium.
