Court Restrains PDP, INEC From Conducting Oyo Rerun Primaries

A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State yesterday restrained the People’s  Democratic Party, PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from  conducting a fresh primary election in Oyo Central Senatorial District tomorrow or  any other day.

The judgment was predicated on the application filed by Oloye Jumoke Akinjide who  had earlier won the party’s ticket for Oyo Central Senatorial District. She had  stated in her application that it was wrong after she had been given the ticket for  the party to order a fresh primary.

Justice J.E. Shakaro, who gave the ruling stated that no rerun election should be  held in the senatorial district by the PDP, pending the determination of the  application before the court.

The judge adjourned hearing in the matter till 7 February, 2011.

Prior to the commencement of the hearing, Justice Shakaro entered the court and on  spotting the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard  Akinjide, he paid homage to the legal luminary.

He said he looked forward to when Chief Akinjide would dress in his law regalia and  address him.

Introducing Chief Akinjide, he said: “Many of you may not know him, he is the lawyer  who propounded the two-third theory that helped the nation to stabilise. We  appreciate all you have done for the bar. Let me advise you younger ones: make sure  that you are well grounded in law before you venture into politics.”

Justice Shakaro also observed that the applicant was not in the courtroom and  ordered that she should be brought in. When Oloye Jumoke entered the court, she  asked her: “When you win the election and start collecting N43 million, how will you  spend it? How much will you give to your father who has been running around for you;  because it was not your name that won you the ticket but the good name of your  father? Is it N5 million that you will be giving him monthly?”

Jumoke answered: “The money is not mine but constituency allowance and in as much as  my father’s home falls within my constituency, I will take care of him too.”

—Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

  Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2011 P.M.News