Akeredolu Approaches Supreme Court To Challenge Ruling On APC Primaries.

The Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has proceeded to
the Supreme Court to challenge the ruling of the Appeal Court that
held that the service of originating summons to the national
secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), instead of
Akeredolu as the candidate, was right.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had validated the service
of originating summons filed by the first runner-up in the party’s
primary election, Mr Segun Abraham, to the APC National Secretariat
in connection with the primaries won by the governor in September
2016.

The ruling was celebrated by Abraham’s supporters across Ondo
State, claiming that the decision of the Appellate Court was a quit
notice to the sitting governor.

In a statement issued and signed by his Chief Press Secretary,
Segun Ajiboye, the governor said the ruling of the Appeal Court was
being unnecessarily blown out of proportion as a result of
ignorance.

He consequently directed his legal team to file an appeal at the
Supreme Court against the ruling, saying the decision of the
Appellate Court does not call for celebration from the opposition’s
camp.

Akeredolu explained that the ruling was on whether the service
of the originating process on the APC secretariat in Abuja, instead
of Akeredolu was right or not and questioned the alleged twist in
the ruling by some people.

The statement read: “You will recall that Segun Abraham went to
court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) from recognising Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as the
governorship candidate of APC. Governor Akeredolu had appealed the
ruling of Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court of
Nigeria, Abuja, who ruled that an application for an interim
injunction sought by Abraham be heard. The governor later took the
matter to the Appeal Court, which gave the latest ruling”.

“However, it is very important to note that the Court of Appeal
ruling borders on whether the service of the originating process on
APC secretariat in Abuja was proper service on Oluwarotimi
Akeredolu. The substantive case is yet to commence but the Appeal
Court held that the service was proper,” it added.

Meanwhile, the APC legal adviser in Ondo central senatorial
district, Titiloye Charles, debunked the rumour about the
pronouncement of the Appeal Court on the party primaries in 2016 in
the state.

Mr Charles said the ruling was an interlocutory ruling in
respect of an application which emanated from the Federal High
Court on service of originating process.

He noted that the ruling was very straight forward without any
ambiguity, adding that the Appeal Court said Governor Akeredolu was
served and that the case should be reversed to the lower court for
hearing.

“Anybody that says the judgement is in favour of anybody is just
deceiving themselves and they are gullible supporters. The case has
not even come up for hearing, parties have not even concluded their
pleading.

“The case is being handled by a competent senior lawyer, Akin
Olujimi, who we all know is equal to the task. Hearing has not
started on the substantive matter, what led to the appeal is the
issue of service”, the legal adviser said.

The Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has proceeded to
the Supreme Court to challenge the ruling of the Appeal Court that
held that the service of originating summons to the national
secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), instead of
Akeredolu as the candidate, was right.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had validated the service
of originating summons filed by the first runner-up in the party’s
primary election, Mr Segun Abraham, to the APC National Secretariat
in connection with the primaries won by the governor in September
2016.

The ruling was celebrated by Abraham’s supporters across Ondo
State, claiming that the decision of the Appellate Court was a quit
notice to the sitting governor.

In a statement issued and signed by his Chief Press Secretary,
Segun Ajiboye, the governor said the ruling of the Appeal Court was
being unnecessarily blown out of proportion as a result of
ignorance.

He consequently directed his legal team to file an appeal at the
Supreme Court against the ruling, saying the decision of the
Appellate Court does not call for celebration from the opposition’s
camp.

Akeredolu explained that the ruling was on whether the service
of the originating process on the APC secretariat in Abuja, instead
of Akeredolu was right or not and questioned the alleged twist in
the ruling by some people.

The statement read: “You will recall that Segun Abraham went to
court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) from recognising Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as the
governorship candidate of APC. Governor Akeredolu had appealed the
ruling of Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court of
Nigeria, Abuja, who ruled that an application for an interim
injunction sought by Abraham be heard. The governor later took the
matter to the Appeal Court, which gave the latest ruling”.

“However, it is very important to note that the Court of Appeal
ruling borders on whether the service of the originating process on
APC secretariat in Abuja was proper service on Oluwarotimi
Akeredolu. The substantive case is yet to commence but the Appeal
Court held that the service was proper,” it added.

Meanwhile, the APC legal adviser in Ondo central senatorial
district, Titiloye Charles, debunked the rumour about the
pronouncement of the Appeal Court on the party primaries in 2016 in
the state.

Mr Charles said the ruling was an interlocutory ruling in
respect of an application which emanated from the Federal High
Court on service of originating process.

He noted that the ruling was very straight forward without any
ambiguity, adding that the Appeal Court said Governor Akeredolu was
served and that the case should be reversed to the lower court for
hearing.

“Anybody that says the judgement is in favour of anybody is just
deceiving themselves and they are gullible supporters. The case has
not even come up for hearing, parties have not even concluded their
pleading.

“The case is being handled by a competent senior lawyer, Akin
Olujimi, who we all know is equal to the task. Hearing has not
started on the substantive matter, what led to the appeal is the
issue of service”, the legal adviser said.