Kashamu

A Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Monday dismissed the suit filed by Ladi Adebutu to challenge the nomination of Buruji Kashamu as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun state.

Adebutu and Kashamu, who is the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly had been at loggerheads over the governorship ticket of the PDP in the state.

In the suit, Adebutu had asked the court to declare him the authentic candidate of the party for the March 2 governorship election.

Delivering judgment on the suit, the presiding judge, Ajoke Adepoju said the case filed by Adebutu could not be maintained to declare him the governorship candidate of the PDP.

Adepoju held that although Adebutu was nominated by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, the primary election where he emerged as candidate was conducted in violation of a subsisting court judgment.

He said the party’s NWC acted in bad faith by flouting a subsisting judgment of a Federal High Court delivered by Justice Ibrahim Buba.

Adepoju maintained that Justice Buba’s judgment was binding on the party and must be respected to protect the sanctity of court in the interest of the rule of law, adding that the NWC cannot conduct a valid primary election without the Ogun State Chapter of the party until the judgment of the federal High Court has been set aside by a higher court.

Adepoju therefore dismissed the suit in its entirety, citing the need for sanctity of judgments of courts to be protected by parties or individuals.

With the judgment, Kashamu and the candidates that emerged through the primary election conducted by the Adebayo Dayo-led faction remain the party’s flag bearers for the forthcoming general elections.

People & Power had on Friday last week reported that Kashamu had called on his supporters to work with the Adebutu-led Lado faction of the party in the interest of the party.