Jare Babatunde
The Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a suit seeking the disqualification of Mr Aro Moshood Abiodun (AMA), as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ikorodu Constituency II seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly in the 2023 General Elections.
Delivering Judgment, Justice Oweibo J, stated that the suit instituted by the plaintiff, Oluwatosin Onamade, was statute barred having been filed outside the time frame stipulated by section 285 (9) of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.
In the suit which the All Progressives Congress and INEC are also defendants, Onamade urged Court to declare him as the lawful candidate of the APC for the Ikorodu House of Assembly, Constituency II in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
The Court, agreeing with the 3rd Defendant’s counsel, Abbas Oyeyemi, upheld the preliminary Objection filed by the 3rd Respondent’s counsel and held that the Plaintiff’s suit was statute barred having been filed outside the time frame stipulated by section 285 (9) of the constitution of federal republic of Nigeria 1999”.
“The Court also ruled on the substantive Originating Summons filed by the Plaintiff and held that the Plaintiff failed to establish his claims that the primary election conducted by APC on the 27th May 2022 was not conducted in accordance with the provision of the electoral Act 2022.
The matter was dismissed in its entirety and the sum of N50, 000 awarded against the Plaintiff, Onamade, is to be paid to the 3rd Defendant, Aro Moshood Abiodun.
Meanwhile, Onamade has expressed his disagreement with the judgment of the Federal High Court.
Speaking with THE IMPACT, the Plaintiff said that the judgment was based only on jurisdiction and did not touch on the main issue.
“The judge didn’t touch the main issue of my matter. I am filling appeal instantly”, he said.
