Osun APC to evaluation court docket ruling on electoral fee chairman

The Chairman of the Osun State Unbiased Electoral Fee, Mr Hashim Abioye, has recommended the judiciary following the decision of the Federal Excessive Court docket, which dismissed the go well with difficult his appointment by the All Progressives Congress.

In its response on Friday, Osun APC, in an interview, advised PidomNigeria On-line that the court docket’s determination is being examined earlier than the get together determines its subsequent plan of action.

Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi of the Federal Excessive Court docket sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, dismissed the APC’s go well with in opposition to Abioye’s appointment, citing lack of jurisdiction.

Within the amended originating summons dated January 16, 2025, the APC contended that Abioye, as OSSIEC chairman, is a card-carrying member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Osun.

In addition to Abioye, the go well with additionally named as defendants the Attorney General of the Federation, the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee, the Legal professional Normal of Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke, the Osun State Home of Meeting, its Speaker, Adewale Egbedun, and OSSIEC.

The APC urged the court docket to restrain Abioye from performing as OSSIEC chairman and sought a declaration that Governor Adeleke can’t nominate him as OSSIEC boss.

In her judgment, Justice Demi-Ajayi dismissed the go well with for lack of jurisdiction, noting that the plaintiff didn’t serve the Osun State Home of Meeting—a key get together to the case—with the required three-month pre-action discover.

“The court docket can conclude and decide that the sixth defendant, Osun State Home of Meeting, must have been served the requisite three-month pre-action discover by the plaintiff as a celebration to the go well with to allow the go well with to be competent and allow the court docket assume jurisdiction of the matter.

Having not performed so, your complete go well with can’t be constituted efficiently or prosecuted within the absence of the sixth defendant, the Osun State Home of Meeting.

Preliminary objection in opposition to the establishment of the sixth defendant, Osun State Home of Meeting, with out compliance with the supply of Part 21 of the Osun State Home of Meeting (Powers and Privileges) Legislation 2017, for the service of a three-month pre-action discover to the sixth defendant is upheld.

Subsequently, the amended originating summons is discovered to be incompetent and dismissed for lack of jurisdiction,” the decide dominated.

Reacting to the judgment, Abioye mentioned the judiciary had reaffirmed his place as OSSIEC chairman and validated all actions he has taken in workplace.

“I thank God for this, one more nice victory. With this newest court docket determination, all authorized battles in opposition to my humble self, my Fee, and all that I’ve performed because the Chairman of OSSIEC have been laid to relaxation.

Justice has been duly served, and I give kudos to the judiciary for this one more masterpiece—not as a result of it went in our favour, however as a result of justice was manifestly served and due course of upheld,” he mentioned.

Nonetheless, the Director of Analysis and Publicity of Osun APC, Kola Olabisi, advised PidomNigeria On-line, “We’re finding out the judgment. We’re finding out the judgment earlier than the following step will likely be determined.”

PidomNigeria On-line stories that Osun APC and the Adeleke administration have been engaged in a number of authorized battles regarding native authorities elections performed by OSSIEC beneath Abioye, and people supervised by his predecessor, Segun Oladitan.

The Osun APC management, whereas addressing journalists in Osogbo not too long ago, decried the quite a few instances instituted in opposition to the get together by the Adeleke administration, saying the authorized disputes have slowed down the tempo of governance on the native authorities stage.