A governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has withdrawn the suit challenging the party’s primary that produced Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Counsel to Ibrahim, Olakunke Lawal withdrew the suit which is challenging the April 20 primary while counsel to Governor Aiyedatiwa, Bode Olanipekun (SAN) and that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Charles Edosonmwan (SAN) did not object to the application.
However, they requested the court to dismiss rather than strike it out as parties have joined issues.
Ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed the suit saying, “an order is hereby made dismissing this suit as parties have joined issues with one another.”
Ibrahim, who is representing Ondo South in the Senate, had asked the court to cancel the nomination of Aiyedatiwa as APC candidate on the grounds that the April 20 primary election that produced him was unlawful.
Reacting to the withdrawal of the case, Governor Aiyedatiwa described Ibrahim as a man who has regard for an “instrument of dialogue.”
Aiyedatiwa, in a statement issued by Kayode Fasua, spokesperson for his campaign organisation, commended the Ondo senator for his decision to withdrawal the case.
“Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has just proven that he has good regard for the instrument of dialogue to resolve resolvable disputes as against burdening the judiciary. His consent to the intervention of Mr. President, and that of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa itself, is welcome,” he said.
Similarly, the leadership of the APC in the state in a statement also commended Ibrahim for his initiative to discontinue the legal pursuit in court against Governor Aiyedatiwa.
“With this matter now concluded, the APC in Ondo State can move forward united and focused on winning the upcoming governorship election. We are confident that with unity and cooperation, we can achieve success in the best interest of the party and the people of Ondo State,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the party has suspended a female governorship aspirant, Folake Omogoroye, in the last primary election held on April 20, for “anti-party activities and flagrant disobedience for constituted authority of the party.”
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