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| Ademola Adeleke |
The Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation says the Bwari High Court erred in ruling that Senator Ademola Adeleke did not qualify to contest the office of governor during the September 2018 Osun gubernatorial poll.
It said that since a court of coordinate jurisdiction had ruled on the matter, the Bwari High Court, being a court of similar jurisdiction, could not entertain the suit.
The organisation said it received with bewilderment the judgement of the Bwari High Court on allegation of forgery against Senator Ademola Adeleke and his qualification to contest the 2018 governorship election of Osun State.
High Court of the Federal Capital Territory had nullified the candidacy of Adeleke as the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party in the September 2018 gubernatorial elections.
The court, presided by Othman Musa, made the decision after it ruled that Mr. Adeleke failed to prove in court that he graduated from a secondary school, as required by Section 177 of the Nigerian Constitution.
Adeleke had contested the election against other candidates, including that of the All Progressives Congress, Adegboyega Oyetola.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Oyetola winner after a re-run election was conducted in parts of the state on September 27.
In a statement release by Adeleke Campaign Organisation on Wednesday, signed by its spokesperson, Mr. Niyi Owolade, the group said the judgment came as a shock to them as the school result matter had already been taken care of by two previous high court rulings.
Owolade called on residents of Osun State and supporters of Adeleke to remain calm and peaceful.
โFirst of all, the matter in question has been addressed by two High Court rulings affirming that in the face of the Constitution, Senator Ademola Adeleke was qualified to run for the governorship.
โThe two rulings delivered in September 2018 held that Adeleke satisfied requirement of the law to contest for office.
โIt is trite in law that once a court of coordinate jurisdiction has ruled on a matter, court of similar jurisdiction cannot entertain it,โ he said
Owolade said during the hearing on the matter by the two high courts, the West African Examination Council at no point denounced the secondary school qualification of Adeleke and that the principal of Ede Muslim High School also confirmed the authenticity of the statement of result issued to Adeleke.
The group stated that the Abuja High Court erred in itโs judgment to void Adelekeโs participation in the Osun election and that they were set to appeal the judgement, urging residents and supporter of Ademola Adeleke to remain calm.
