Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to file their defense in a suit seeking removal of Aiyedatiwa as APC gubernatorial candidate for November election.
The judge ordered that the three defendants must file their respective defence within days allowed by law since the suit is a time bound one.
After issuing the order, Justice Ekwo fixed May 29 for hearing of the suit with a warning that all processes in respect of the suit must be filed and exchanged by parties
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has approached the court praying that the purported governorship primary of the party in which Aiyedatiwa was declared winner should be declared null and void.
The Senator has presented the written addresses of all the Electoral Officers sent to the 203 wards across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State by National Independent Electoral Commission(INEC) to monitor the party’s governorship primary.
The reports of the INEC Electoral Officers had shown that election did not hold in more than 70 percent of the wards including the ward of the Aiyedatiwa who was declared winner of the primary election by the Governor Usman Ododo-led APC Governorship Primary Election Committee.
