Ibrahim loses again as supreme court affirms Jegede

The supreme court has affirmed the ruling of the appeal court, which declared Eyitayo  Jegede as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo state.

The court struck out all appeals challenging the decision of the appeal court to replace Jimoh Ibrahim with Eyitayo Jegede as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ondo.

The five-man panel of justices led by Walter Onnoghen, acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), on Thursday said all the issues raised by Biyi Poroye, factional chairman of the PDP in Ondo state, against Jegede had been overtaken by the appellate court’s judgement.

“The decision of the lower court on the substantive matter yesterday 23/11/2016, that decision has rendered the instant interlocutory appeal academic as appellant has the right to against the said judgement, including the interlocutory ruling,” Onnoghen ruled.

“In this circumstance this appeal is hereby struck out with no order as to cost.”

Earlier, Beluolisa Nwofor, counsel to Poroye and other loyalists to Ali Modu Sheriff had argued that his appeal challenging the appeal court decision ought to be heard because the election was on Saturday.

“This appeal is different in its entirety because this is the only appeal coming before the governorship election of Ondo fixed for Saturday and it cannot be adjourned because time is of the essence,” he said.

On his part, Wole Olanipekun counsel Eyitayo Jegede told the court hearing Nwofor’s appeal after the appellate court had delivered judgement in the favour of Jegede has rendered the process academic.

“The final judgement of the court delivered yesterday and the ruling makes it pursuit academic,” he said.