The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) disowned the suit challenging Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s and Dr Olaiyide Adelami’s candidature in the November 16th governorship election in Ondo State.
The candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Hon Olugbenga Edema, has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the nomination and the publication of the names Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his deputy as candidates.
Edema specifically asked the court to interpret the applicability of Section 15 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) over the nomination of the APC candidates in a suit file before it.
However, when the case was up for mention on Wednesday, there was a mild drama when the NNPP, through its National Legal Adviser, Mr Robert Hon, said the party did not authorise any suit against Governor Aiyedatiwa and his Deputy’s candidature.
However, the party’s National Legal Adviser, in a letter personally signed, asked that the party’s name be withdrawn from the suit.
Both Aiyedatiwa, Adelami, INEC, and APC asked the court to dismiss the suit for lack of jurisdiction and because the plaintiffs lacked locus standing to file it.
The Defendants were represented by Dr Remi Olatubora SAN, Kola Olawoye SAN, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN, who represented Governor Aiyedatiwa, Chief Charles Edosomwan SAN, who represented INEC, and Adelanke Akinrata among others.
The drama started when Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa brought to the court’s attention a letter by the party’s legal adviser dissociating the party from the suit over the outcome of the APC’s primary, which produced Aiyedatiwa as a candidate.