The Appeal Court has dismissed a stay of proceedings
application filed by the governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, in a case
challenging his election into office.
A governorship aspirant in the last election, Olusegun
Abraham, is challenging the choice of Akeredolu as the flag bearer of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 26, 2016 governorship election.
According to Abraham, the primaries which upheld the
selection of Akeredolu was fraught with irregularities as affirmed by an
investigative committee of the party, which also recommended a repeat of the
exercise.
Shortly after the primaries, Abraham sought an interim
injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission, from
recognising Akeredolu as the governorship candidate of APC in the Ondo election
scheduled for November 26, pending the hearing and determination of the motion
on notice already filed in the suit.
In October last year, the Federal High Court in Abuja
presided by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, ruled that the application for interim
injunction sought by Abraham, the first runner-up in the controversial
Ondo governorship
primaries of the APC, had merit.
The court then ordered Akeredolu to appear before it on
October 28, 2016, but he appealed the ruling and also filed a stay of
proceedings.
The appeal court however ruled that the appeal and the
application for stay of proceeding lacked merit.
The court also ordered the governor to put up a defence as
one of the respondents to the suit, which is marked FHC/ABJ / CS/788/2016 at
the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Abraham has hailed the ruling, saying it was a quit notice
to the governor and his supporters and an indication that democracy was
maturing in the country.
By Chijioke Jannah
