Ondo gov: Akeredolu loses at S’Court

 

The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed an appeal by the Ondo state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, for lack of merit.

Akeredolu had, by the appeal, challenged a July 2017 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld an order by a Federal High Court in Abuja, granting permission to Olusegun Abraham to serve Akeredolu through substituted means, court documents in relation to the suit he (Abraham) filed.

Abraham’s suit was challenging the outcome of the primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which produced Akeredolu as the party’s candidate for the last governorship election in Ondo state.

In a unanimous judgment, a five-man panel of the Supreme Court held that Akeredolu’s appeal was without merit.

Justice John Okoro, in the lead judgment, but read by Justice Ejembi Eko, upheld the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and awarded N500, 000 cost against Akeredolu, in favour of Abraham.
Blueprint recalled that Akeredolu had headed for the Supreme Court in 2017 with the hope of getting justice over the contentious legal brawl where he challenged the decision of the Court of Appeal that validated the service of originating summons to the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress, APC, instead of the governor.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja then held that the service of originating summons filed by the runner-up in the party’s primary Dr Segun Abraham to the APC National Secretariat in connection with the contentious primary won by Akeredolu last year was proper.

Abraham had in his application pointed out that the primaries which produced Akeredolu was fraught with irregularities as affirmed by the appeal panel instituted by the party which recommended a repeat of the primaries.

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