Jegede’s hope fades as appeal court adjourns over Ibrahim’s petition

The fate of Eyitayo Jegede, candidate of the Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is still hanging in the balance less than 10 days to the governorship election of Ondo state.

On Friday, the appeal court adjourned hearing into the Ondo PDP crisis indefinitely.

Announcing the development, Ibrahim Saulawa, head of the panel, said the court would have to await the decision of the supreme court.

“This appeal and sister appeals are adjourned sine dile to await the decision of the supreme court,” he said.

The Ali Modu Sheriff faction had earlier asked the appeal court to allow the apex court decide Jegede’s fate.

It claimed that the appeal court had lost the jurisdiction to continue hearing the matter because of an application it filed at the supreme court.

“We ask the court to hands off and allow the supreme court decide if it should continue or not,” Beluolisa Nwofor, counsel to the Sherrif faction in Ondo, had said on Tuesday.

“It is at the supreme court that the matter for the stay of proceedings will be heard not here. The appeal is not ripe for hearing because the court has lost jurisdiction due to the facts brought to the notice of the court.

“The court cannot entertain further proceedings until the notice is determined by the apex court.”

The crisis in Ondo started after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) picked Jimoh Ibrahim of Sheriff’s faction as the PDP candidate for the November 26 election.

The commission had cited the ruling of Okon Abang, a judge of the federal high court, Abuja, as reason for its action.

This prompted Jegede to ask the appellate court to set aside Abang’s ruling.

When the matter first came up at the appeal court, Sheriff’s group forced the judges hearing the case to withdraw after accusing them of corruption allegations.

Zainab Bulkachuwa, president of the court of appeal, constituted a new panel, yet Jegede’s rival faulted the panel, and sought its dissolution, but the court ignored the call.

Jegede has maintained optimism that he will be victorious in the end, but the supreme court will decide that on November 22.