Osun 2022: Babayemi Remains PDP Candidate -Lawyer

Omooba Dotun Babayemi, the gubernatorial candidate of the Osun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), remains the legally recognized flag bearer of the party for the July 16 governorship election, Barrister Edmund Biriomoni has clarified.

Biriomoni gave the clarification while speaking with journalists against the background of the sine die adjournment of an Osun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Jesa presided over by Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe in a case between Ademola Adedokun and 29 others against the PDP and INEC.

On the 3rd of March,2022, the Court granted an order recognizing the Ward Executive Officers of the party that produced the 215 delegates. On the 10th of March again, the Court declared through its Order of Mandatory Interim Injunction,that Babayemi was the legally recognized candidate of the party,having been elected by delegates backed by the law

However,in its sitting today, Wednesday, the Court adjourned sine die due to the appeal currently at the Court of Appeal.

Expatiating on the implications of the Court position, Biriomoni who is Counsel to the plaintiffs, maintained that the Gbongan-born politician remains the party gubernatorial candidate because of the subsisting orders.

“The Court orders of 3rd and 10th of March,2022,are still subsisting;valid and binding on parties concerned. Omo Oba Dotun Babayemi still remains the candidate of the party” he assured

“Yes, the implication is that the statu quo remains;it means the court will go comatose till they finish from Court of Appeal. They have shot themselves at the foot. It means that the status quo remains which implies that the two earlier court orders granted in favour of the plaintiffs are still subsisting” he further clarified

He added that the court did not set aside its orders, stressing, “it only stayed further proceedings and as of the time the court was staying further proceedings, what was the status quo? The status quo was that two orders were granted on 3rd and 10th of March,2022, respectively”

Biriomoni derided those jubilating as being ignorant of the position of law, insisting that “their jubilation amounts to self-delusion and foolishness.These people have killed themselves and have at the same time, locked the door against themselves”

The Counsel said procedurally, the Ademola Adeleke group had taken wrong steps, explaining that ” there are ways to go in this kind of a route but unfortunately, they have gotten everything wrong and wasted their own time”