Following the recent judgement by the Appeal Court sitting in Ibadan upholding the primaries of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State held on the 25th May,2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday, 22nd December, 2022 updated and uploaded the names of the forty candidates for the elective positions of the party on the INEC list of candidates.
It would be noted that the court cases arose as a result from various claims by some members of the party against the primaries process and delegates list. Despite the efforts made internally to reconcile the aggrieved members but it eventually went on litigations.
It would be recalled that the Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta on 27th September, 2022 in two separate judgements nullified the Governorship primary and all the primaries conducted by PDP in Ogun State; the judgements then ordered fresh primaries that should cater for all interest groups and be conducted by the State Executive of the party against the provisions of the new Electoral act of 2022.
However, the National body of the party and Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu in disagreement with the decisions and orders of the trial court went ahead to the appellate court to appeal judgements on the grounds that the said Primaries were conducted in adherence to the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.
The Appeal Court on 28th November, 2022 set aside the decisions of the trial court and ordered reinstatement of Hon. Adebutu and all other Candidates of the party.
On Thursday, INEC published the names of the Governorship and Deputy Governorship Candidates, Hon. (Dr) Oladipupo Adebutu and Hon. Adekunle Abdulkabir Akinlade, in compliance with the court order. It had earlier released the legislative candidate lists for both State and Federal seats.