The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, seeking to restore the nullification of the participation of Osun State’s former Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, and his Deputy, Benedict Alabi, in the July 16, 2022 governorship election.
On September 30, 2022, the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a ruling invalidating Oyetola and Alabi’s participation in the governorship election on the basis that their nomination forms were endorsed by an acting Chairman of the APC who was also a serving Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.
In December 2022, the Court of Appeal in Abuja overturned Justice Nwite’s judgment, which the PDP appealed to the Supreme Court.
However, in a decision issued Thursday morning, a five-member Supreme Court bench led by Justice Centus Nweze ruled that the PDP’s appeal was without merit and ordered the party’s lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), to withdraw it.
The court decided that the PDP was not permitted by law to contest the procedures used to choose Oyetola and Alabi to represent the APC in the election.