Osun 2018: Court strikes out suit against Omisore’s candidature

An Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo, has struck out the suit challenging Senator Iyiola Omisore as the governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the forthcoming September 22, 2018 election.

Senator Iyiola Omisore

Justice David Oladimeji, had adjourned the matter to Monday for judgement after counsels have made their submissions.

Two state officers of SDP, Alhaji Rasheed Mayowa and Chief Azeez Alakinde-Ismaila had gone to court, asking that the national body of the party be stopped from organizing any fresh congress in the state and that by the congress which produced the executives in 2016, their tenure would expire by 2020.

Besides, they argued that the congress which produced Senator Omisore as the party’s candidate was illegal having being conducted contrary to two respective court orders.

The applicants’ lawyer, Barrister Olayinka Sokoya told the court that the matter was beyond the internal running of the party but was premised on the constitution of the party.

He argued that the defendants disposition against his applications before the court be discountenance, while noting that disobeying court orders had rendered everything done by Omisore’s group null and void.

Sokoya urged the court to sack all the executives elected by the factional SDP congress led by Dr Bayo Faforiji and declare all actions taken by them so far including the primary it conducted which produced Senator Omisore as unconstitutional.

He asked to court to fully restore all powers back to the Chief Ademola Ishola’s executive which produced an Iwo indigene, Barrister Kehinde Atanda as the governorship candidate.

Counsel to the National SDP, Barrister Kehinde Adesiyan asked the court to dismiss in its entirety all the applications filed by the applicants, arguing that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the suit in the first instance.

Omisore’s lawyer, Barrister Adeyemi Adetife while aligning himself with Adesiyan explained that his client has nothing to do with the suit, wondering why he will be joined in the matter before the court.

Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Bar. Vilba Kinta explained that as an umpire in election matters, the body has nothing to do with the internal problem of the party.

However, the applicants were said to have filed application for withdrawal of the suit after intervention by some stakeholders.

When briefed about the settlement out of court, Justice Oladimeji, thereby struck out the matter.