The former lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Smart Adeyemi, has said he would approach the Court of Appeal in Abuja to nullify the governorship primary election the All Progressives Congress, APC, held in the state.
Adeyemi, said he was dissatisfied with the judgement of The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, upheld the primary election that produced Ahmed Ododo as candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the governorship election scheduled for November this year.
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Justice James Omotosho while delivering judgement in a case filed by former Kogi West Senator Smart Adeyemi against Ododo’s nomination held that Adeyemi did not prove his allegation that Ododo and there is evidence that the primary election was validly held and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The trial Judge held that the allegations the plaintiff raised in the suit were criminal in nature and therefore ought to be proved beyond every reasonable doubt which he said the plaintiff failed to as required by law.
The court said it found no reason to invalidate the outcome of the primary election and consequently dismissed the suit as lacking in merit.
Adeyemi said he is dissatisfied with the judgement and will take the matter to the Court of Appeal
The former lawmaker, in the suit, sought the cancellation of the primary election on grounds that it was not validly conducted.
Adeyemi also told the court that Ododo was handpicked as flag-bearer of the party by the outgoing Governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, in gross violation of Section 177 of the 1999 Constitution, Section 29 and 84 of the Electoral Act as well as Article 20 of the Constitution of the APC, adding that by political arrangement, the state’s top job ought to go to his senatorial district, Kogi West, which had not produced a governor in the history of the state.
Editor: Oloyede Oworu
