Jimi Lawal To Adebutu:You’ve No Legal Standing To Challenge Ogun PDP Re-Run Primary
The Jimi Adebisi Lawal Campaign Organization (JALCO) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has kicked against a judgement by the Federal High Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State, nullifying his election as the governorship candidate of the party.
He said a former House of Representatives member, Ladi Adebutu, who went to court to challenge the primary has no locus standi (legal standing) to file the case since he recused himself from the exercise.
On October 17, a court-ordered re-run primary was held where the former banker emerged as the party’s candidate.
This follows dispute over the rightful delegates list used to conduct the first primary in May. The court agreed that the delegates used at the first primary was invalid.
A statement on Friday by the Project Director of JALCO, Austin Oniyokor, dismissed the judgement, saying “it is the handiwork of the desperadoes within the Ogun state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who sees the party as their birthright and an extension of their patrimony.”
The full statement:
RE: COURT NULLIFIES JIMI LAWAL’S RERUN PRIMARY IN OGUN
The attention of the Jimi Adebisi Lawal Campaign Organization (JALCO) has been drawn to a purported court proceedings and judgment which reportedly nullified the rerun governorship primary election held on the 17th of October, 2022.
We wish to state that it is the handiwork of the desperadoes within the Ogun state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who sees the party as their birthright and an extension of their patrimony.
It is very amusing that the same people who said the rerun was of no moment and willfully refused to participate in the exercise could go to court to challenge same. Pray, where did they get their locus standi (i.e. legal standing) to sue since they did not participate in the rerun election?
Again, we make haste to add that we were neither served any court processes nor were we part of the proceedings. In matter of this nature, personal service is a basic requirement and condition precedent to hearing a suit and delivering judgment.
While our lawyers make efforts to get the purported judgment and study the case file with a view to taking appropriate steps under the law, we wish to assure all our supporters, stakeholders and party members that this resort to judicial ambush will not save our friends on the other side.
It is only a matter of time before the truth triumphs over lies even as light dispels darkness. Let us remain hopeful, strong and focused!
*PDP…Power to the People!
Signed
Austin Oniyokor
Project Director
Jimi Adebisi Lawal Campaign Organization (JALCO),
Abeokuta, Ogun state.
25th November, 2022
