FOLLOWING the ruling of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Chief Clement Faboyede, on Saturday, said it had nothing to do with the party’s governorship standard bearer, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), describing the ruling as a mere distraction.
Faboyede, who stated this during a press conference in Akure, Ondo State capital, however, said the party had petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the ruling.
The PDP chairman cleared the air over the speculation that Lagos businessman, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, had been given the party’s governorship ticket by Friday’s court ruling in Abuja, explaining that neither Jegede nor Ibrahim was a party to the suit, which has so far yielded two rulings from the same court, noting that the ruling was misinterpreted.
He, however, said legal steps had been taken to affirm the validity of Jegede’s candidature, describing the ruling as an unholy alliance to subvert the will of the people. He added that the suit sought to determine the tenure and membership of the State Executive Committee of the party in the South-West zone.
He said: “the suit sought to determine the tenure and membership of the State Executive Committee of PDP in the South-West zone and in addition sought directions in respect of party primaries for 2019 general elections. Essentially, the claimants sought, inter alia, a declaration that they were the people entitled to deal with nomination of candidates for 2019 general elections. It should be noted that the Ondo State governorship election scheduled for 26th November, 2016 was not part of the plaintiffs’ claim and no reference was made to it in the claim.”
