The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved ruling in the motion filed by a factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ahmed Makarfi, and the faction’s secretary, Ben Obi,asking for a leave of the court to appeal against the Federal High Court’s judgment that recognised Jimoh Ibrahim as the PDP’s governorship candidate in Ondo State.
The ruling of the Abuja court was greeted with protests across the major streets of the state, where the incumbent governor Olusegun Mimiko is of PDP fold.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Thursday, acting on the June 29 judgment of Justice Okon Abang and another enforcement judgment of the same judge on October 14, dropped Eyitayo Jegede’s name and replaced it with that of Ibrahim in the governorship election slated for November 26.
The proceedings of Friday during which a joint motion filed by Makarfi, Obi, and others were heard lasted about six and a half hours.
Makarfi and Obi filed their motion in the appeal CA/A/155/2016 seeking an extension of time to appeal and the leave to appeal as interested parties against the June 29 judgment.
Jegede also filed similar motion in his appeal numbered CA/A/155C/2016, but it was adjourned till Tuesday for hearing.
Makarfi, Obi and Jegede needed to file the motion seeking leave because they were not parties to the suit at the Federal High Court and failed to appeal within the statutory 90 days within which they ought to do so.
Makarfi and Obi’s motion argued by their lawyer, Dayo Akinlaja (SAN), was opposed by the lawyer to the respondents, including the Biyi Poroye-led faction of the PDP in Ondo State, Alex Izinyon (SAN), on Friday.
Poroye’s faction which produced Ibrahim as the party’s candidate belonged to the Ali Modu Sheriff faction, while Jegede belonged to the Makarfi faction.
PDP’s lawyer, Olagoke Fakunle (SAN), also opposed motion, but INEC’s lawyer, Nelson Anih, said the commission would remain neutral.
After the hearing, the court reserved ruling till a date to be announced later.
