Court affirms Adebutu as PDP Governorship candidate in Ogun, tags Lawal a ‘Spoiler’

Court affirms Adebutu as PDP Governorship candidate in Ogun, tags Lawal a ‘Spoiler’

Oladipupo Adebutu

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday affirmed Oladipupo Adebutu as the winner of the Ogun State Governorship Primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He dismissed a suit by Jimi Lawal for lacking reliable and credible evidence.

Lawal, who contested the May 25 governorship primary election of PDP, had challenged the emergence of Adebutu, alleging that an invalid delegates list was fraudulently used by the PDP to conduct the election.

Lawal had prayed that the purported primary be cancelled and another conducted with the authentic ad hoc delegates.

Delivering Judgement, Justice Ekwo described Lawal as a “spoiler”, having joined the PDP in March from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and participated in governorship primary held in May.

The court also held that the delegates list which Lawal challenged, is the same list approved by the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which was used during the primaries which Adebutu emerged as the candidate of the party.