The Federal High Court in Akure has dismissed a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Agboola Ajayi, seeking to disqualify the All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governor-elect, Dr. Olayide Adelami, from the November 16 Ondo governorship election.
Ajayi had alleged inconsistencies in Adelami’s submitted names, citing variations such as “Adelami Owolabi Jackson” and “Adelami Olaide Owolabi,” which he claimed rendered the APC candidate unqualified.
Also, Ajayi argued that the APC lacked validly nominated candidates for the election.
However, Justice Toyin Adegoke ruled against the claims, stating that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to challenge the APC’s nomination process since they were neither members of the party nor participants in its primaries.
The court further noted that the case was filed outside the statutory 14-day period stipulated for such matters and that the process used to file the suit was procedurally flawed.
Importantly, the judge highlighted that allegations regarding certificate discrepancies require validation from the issuing authorities—evidence that was not provided by the plaintiffs.
In her judgment, Justice Adegoke declared the court lacked jurisdiction over the matter and dismissed the case.
The ruling affirmed the eligibility of the APC candidates, allowing it to remain on the ballot for the upcoming election.
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