Justice Mohammed Sani of the Federal High Court, Ilorin on Wednesday nullified the candidacy of Rep Raheem Olawuyi Ajulo-opin while declaring Hon Oluwasegun Adebayo as the authentic APC candidate for the upcoming 2023 Isin/Oke-Ero/Ekiti/Irepodun House of Representatives election.
Ajulo Opin , who became a member of the House of Representatives after winning the bye- election held on November 18,2018, had later retained his parliament seat in the 2019 general election.
Ahead of the 2023 general election, Ajulo Opin had sought to get the Kwara South APC senate nomination and he had participated in the primary election that eventually produced Senator Lola Ashiru as winner.
Before the Kwara South APC primary election was held , the House of Representatives primary election had been held and Hon Oluwasegun Adebayo had been declared as Isin/Oke-Ero/Ekiti/Irepodun APC House of Representatives candidate.
The party however held a fresh primary election which was boycotted by Adebayo and had Ajulo Opin declared as the new candidate.
‘The outcome was widely accepted by all and all aspirants in that election had congratulated Adebayo.
The purported re-run election was not communicated to Cornelius Oluwasegun Adebayo and the reason for the cancellation of the only valid election is still unknown’ Emmanuel Moronfoye, who is one of the supporters of Adebayo, had submitted.
Dissatisfied with the steps taken by the leadership of the party, Adebayo had taken a legal action by instituting a lawsuit seeking to reclaim his mandate.
Adebayo, who is the son of former governor C.O Adebayo, on Wednesday called his court victory ‘good news’ while noting that it was a victory for all.
He urged APC members in the state to come together and jointly work for the victory of all candidates of the party in the 2023 general election.
Calling the APC in the state ‘one big family’, Adebayo added that ‘it is time for fence- mending and reconciliation’.
‘All I can say is to thank God Almighty , who always keeps his word and stands in support of His people. It is a victory for all. I want to beg all party members to note that we are one big family.
The next course of action is fence -mending and reconciliation, because we are one big family . We must ensure all our party’s candidates earn victory in the 2023 general election. I urge all our party members to please make this a priority’ he submitted in a telephone interview with Team@orientactualmags.com on Wednesday
Rep. Tunji Olawuyi has however assured that he will be appealing the ruling.
Olawuyi in a statement issued in Omu-Aran on Wednesday noted that he had an unflinching faith in the nation’s judiciary.
He urged party faithful and those he referred to as his ‘teeming supporters’ not to lose hope asserting that there was no cause for concern . He expressed confidence that the court of Appeal will overturn the ruling nullifying his candidacy.
Olawuyi also said he remains the candidate recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) until the final determination of the case.
He urged supporters and party faithful to continue with their campaign activities- Team@orientactualmags.com
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