Primaries: Lagos lawyer, Ajose Abejoye drags PDP, INEC, others to court

A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Ajose Abejoye, has approached the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, asking the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Are Azeez Ajibola, as the valid candidate of the PDP for the Apapa Constituency of the Federal House of Representatives.

According to reports, Are Azeez Ajibola had on June 9th, 2022, won the majority votes at the primaries conducted by the PDP and monitored by officials of the electoral umpire but on 24th June, 2022, the party unlawfully substituted Are’s name with that of another aspirant Mr. Hakeem Salau, who scored zero vote to INEC as its (PDP’s) candidate.

Apart from INEC, also joined in the pre-election suit with Suit Number: FHC/L/CS/1288/22, are Mr Hakeem Salau and the PDP as the first and second defendants, respectively.

Abejoye who is suing on behalf of Hon. Are Azeez Ajibola, an aspirant for the said seat, is amongst others, praying the court to declare the Plaintiff as the lawful candidate of the party, having validly won the majority votes at the primaries of the PDP conducted on the 9th of June, 2022.

In the writ of summons made available to newsmen on Friday, July 15, 2022, Mr. Abejoye is urging the Federal High Court for a perpetual injunction to restrain the first and third defendants from recognizing Salau as the PDP candidate, having lost the primary election to Are.

Specifically, Abejoye stated that the leadership of the party was substituting Are for Salau while acting on the scheming and promptings of some powerful elements within the party.

He (Abejoye) is also asking the court to determine “Whether in view of the facts of the suit and Sections 29 and 85 of the Electoral Act, 2022, the Claimant ought to be granted the reliefs being sought in this suit.”

When contacted, Abejoye stated that he was acting in the interest of justice, fair play; as well as to safeguard the sanctity and integrity of the country’s electoral process in taking up the case, expressing confidence that he would emerge victorious at the law court.

“I am going on with this case to prove a point to politicians and the whole world that there will be no more room for any form of electoral impunity and political iniquity in the country.

“I am using this case to tell Nigerians that we must at all times obey and abide by outcomes of set rules even when such don’t favour us.

“The case is simple and straightforward: someone won an election convincingly but some powerful figures are denying him of enjoying the sweet fruits of his well-deserved victory because of his financial and societal limitations. Who does that in a sane democratic society? This we hope to reverse because of our implicit belief in the judicial system and process.” Abejoye said.