LG Polls: Ogun PDP Raises Concern Over Credibility Of Judge Presiding Over Party’s Disqualification Case
ABEOKUTA – The Ogun State chapter of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed concern over the impartiality of the judge assigned to a case instituted by a former chairman of the party, Hon. Sikirulahi Ogundele ahead of the November 16, local government elections in the state.
PDP accuses the assigned Judge of having strong ties to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to oversee a critical case challenging the eligibility of PDP candidates for the upcoming local government elections in Ogun State.
The case filed just days before the election, questions the party membership of PDP candidates, aiming to potentially disrupt their candidacy.
The case was instituted by a former chairman of the PDP in the state, Sikirulahi Ogundele was billed to be presided over by Justice Sunday Adeniyi.
Addressing the media at the PDP secretariat in Abeokuta, on Wednesday, the state chairman of the party, Hon. Abayomi Tella, accused the ruling APC of orchestrating a series of legal and procedural hurdles to bar the PDP from effectively participating in the local elections scheduled for November 16.
Tella accused the former chairman of being used by the APC to sabotage the chances of the PDP ahead of the Saturday local government election.
Tella said “This is a deliberate and desperate attempt by the state government and the APC to silence opposition parties, especially our party, the PDP,” he stated.
The PDP chairman stressed concern about the judge assigned to oversee the case, detailing his past associations with the APC.
“We believe in the rule of law and respect the judiciary,” he said, “but it’s crucial to note that the assigned judge is a former APC card-carrying member, a former Caretaker Chairman of Ikenne Local Government, and previously the Director-General of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s Senate campaign in 2015.
He was also appointed as a judge by Governor Abiodun during his first time.
Despite these associations, Tella clarified that the PDP is not questioning the judge’s integrity, but emphasized that the party hopes for impartiality in the proceedings.
“We are simply advising that if he cannot recuse himself, he should uphold true justice in alignment with the rule of law,” he added.
Tella highlighted multiple alleged attempts by the APC to interfere with the PDP’s campaign efforts, including disruptions during party congresses and the submission of parallel candidate lists to the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC).
These, he noted, were strategies that ultimately failed.
According to Tella, the latest lawsuit challenging the party membership of PDP’s candidates is a continuation of these efforts.
He questioned the timing and legitimacy of the case, citing the electoral guidelines which specify that only those who directly contest an election can legally challenge the candidacy of another.“It’s the role of a party to define its membership, not for individuals or rival parties to decide,” he asserted.
Tella also used the opportunity to appeal to Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission for fairness and transparency in the election process.
He urged the commission to ensure equitable distribution of election materials across the 20 local government areas and the timely release of authentic result sheets for each of the 5,042 polling units.
“We expect that all results will be declared at each respective collation center, from the wards up to the local government level, without interference,” he stated.
Tella called on Ogun State citizens to support PDP candidates in the forthcoming local government elections.
He vowed that the party would bring the “dividends of democracy” to the grassroots if given the mandate.
Attempts to get a reaction from the APC failed as the party Chairman, Yemi Sanusi could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.
