As the Appeal Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State nullified the candidature of Kashamu Buruji as the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State for the 2019 General Elections, the state chapter of the party has called for support from members of the party in order to achieve success in the coming election.
The Chairman of the party in Ogun State, Hon. Sikirullahi Ogundele, who hailed the judgment of the Appeal Court, said in a statement that the judgment was commendable and urged members of the party to see it as a victory for democracy.
Ogundele stated further in the statement, which was signed on his behalf by the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, Alhaji Malik Ibitoye that the members of the party, including the camp of Senator Kashamu Buruji should come together and join hands to upstage the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
He added in the statement, made available to journalists, that the fact that the “APC in Ogun state is just a carcass and not a political party anymore. This is an opportunity for the PDP to take over power from the remnants of the khakistocratic political maniac and vampires as represented by the APC.”
While thanking the National Chairman of the PDP, Hon. Uche Secondus and other members of the executive of the party for standing by the governorship candidate of the party in the state, which it gave recognition, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, Ogundele said that the road to Oke-Mosan Government House in Ogun State had just begun for the PDP.
“We are glad with the judgment of the Appeal Court and it is a confirmation that our judiciary is always on the path of truth and Justice. With the judgment, the coast is becoming clearer for Hon. Ladi Adebutu to be recognized as the governorship candidate of the PDP in Ogun State for the 2019 general elections by the electoral body.
“Adebutu has the requisite experience to lead the party to victory at the polls in 2019 having been representing Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North areas in the Federal House of Representatives. Adebutu has also visited all the 236 wards in the state, a journey that took him over three years and made him a household name.
“He understands the needs of the people of Ogun State and he has a blueprint on how to restore the lost glory of the gateway state. We just want to appeal to all the members of the PDP is in the state to join hands with him so that he could win the 2019 Governorship Election in the state. “We assure you that he will run an inclusive government and he would listen to the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the state and make life better for everybody,” the statement read.
Ogundele was also quoted to have said in the statement that there would be no winner or loser at the end of the day, but that the judgment has made it clear that Adebutu would be given the mandate of the party to fly its flag at the end of the day, adding that the people of Ogun State should be ready for a better government under Hon. Adebutu.
The PDP had dragged the Adebayo Dayo-led faction of the party in Ogun State to the appellate court to challenge a Federal High Court’s judgment which ordered INEC to accept the group’s candidates which had Senator Buruji Kasham as it’s governorship candidate.
The Appeal Court judgment on Tuesday had given hope to Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu and others who won in the party’s primaries conducted by the PDP National Working Committee.
The three-man panel also ordered that the substantive case be reassigned to another judge noting that Justice Abubakar Shittu who delivered the earlier judgment was not fair to all parties before giving the controversial order.
According to Justice A. B. Bada who led N. Okoronkwo and Justice H. S. Samani, the PDP and other appellants were right when they argued that they were not properly served in the case.
The court held that, “From the above analysis, I have no doubt that the process was not properly served. It is settled in law that where there is no service or proper service, the claimed service is a nullity and any decision based on that is a nullity.” “This puts the appellants in a situation where their fundamental human right for fair hearing is breached.” Consequently, he declared the lower court’s decision a nullity.”
Also, Justice Samani who held a similar view with his colleague stated, “It is an exact thing that must be undertaken. The bailiff must prove that he has found the exact person the service is meant for, who, in this case, the court stipulated must not be lower in rank than Secretary of the party”.
 in Ogun State for the 2019 General Elections, the state chapter of the party has called for support from members of the party in order to achieve success in the coming election.){kind=link}