Ogun Guber Ticket: Hope Dims For Atiku’s Man As PDP Rejects Ruling, Heads To Appeal Court

Any hope to retain the Ogun State governorship ticket of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, by the former spokesman of the 2019 presidential candidate of the party, Segun Sowunmi, dimmed on Wednesday as the PDP rejected the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Ogun State, which ordered it to conduct fresh primaries for all elective positions in the state for the 2023 general election.

The party thus barred Sowunmi and his rival, Ladi Adebutu, from taking part in any fresh primary in the state.

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Atiku Abubakar was PDP’s 2019 presidential candidate and is still the party’s standard bearer in the forthcoming 2023 election, having defeated Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, amongst others to secure the spot.

Both Sowunmi and Adebutu have been locked in a battle for the ticket which has oscillated between the pair from court decisions, thus polarising and throwing the Ogun State chapter of the party in turmoil.

It would be recalled that the PDP had submitted Adebutu’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its candidate for the election, but the decision was challenged by Sowunmi at the Federal High Court, Abuja, where he sought his declaration as the party’s authentic flagbearer.

While the FHC had declined jurisdiction in the suit, the Appeal Court in Abuja granted his relief and declared him as the party’s valid candidate.

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The battle took a new twist when three members of the party who were not satisfied with the primary election that produced Adebutu, filed a separate suit at the Federal High Court Abeokuta challenging the party’s decision on the grounds that the delegates list used was not authentic.

It is believed that Adebutu has the support of the PDP hierarchy and the party’s victory at the appeal court may work in his favour.

A statement issued on Wednesday by the party’s spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, said the party will pursue the lower court’s decision at the Court of Appeal instead of conducting fresh primaries.

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