Court Dismisses Suit Challenging Adeola’s Ogun West Senatorial Bid

Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital has dismissed a suit seeking to void Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola‘s victory at the National Assembly primary of All Progressives Congress (APC).

Adeola, who is the chairman Senate Committee of Finance, is the 2023 APC senatorial candidate for Ogun West.

The court presided over by Hon. Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik struck out the suit challenging the victory of Adeola.

The case FHC/AB/CS/132/2022, instituted by Johnson Akinsanya Akindele, Babalola Oluwasaanu and Akanbi Orobiyi as plaintiffs against Senator Adeola and three other defendants was dismissed on the basis that the plaintiffs lack locus standi to institute the case.

Counsel Seni Adio represented the plaintiffs namely; Johnson Akindele, Babalola Oluwasaanu and Akanbi Orobiyi while Mr. Bode Olanipekun represented the defendants – Senator Adeola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Assembly.

The plaintiffs had sought the clarification on portions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) , the Electoral Act 2022 and the Constitution of the All Progressives Congress to determine the validity of Adeola’s nomination by the APC to contest the party’s primaries and the 2023 National Assembly election on the platform of the APC for Ogun West Senatorial District.

The plaintiffs contended that Adeola is still a sitting senator representing Lagos West in the National Assembly.

The plaintiffs claimed that Adeola contravened and infringed upon the Provision of Section 65(2) (b) of the Electoral Act 2022 and article 9(1) and 20 of the APC Constitution and yet kept parading himself as the APC’s nominated candidate for the office of senator for Ogun West while still serving as senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District.

The Judge awarded a cost of N4m each in favour of two the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and APC against the plaintiffs.