By Banji Ayoola
An Akure High Court on Tuesday threw out a motion seeking to stop the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Hon Agboola Ajayi from contesting the Wednesday primary election of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
The presiding Judge, Justice Bode Adegbehingbe threw out the motion exparte filed by a disgruntled member of the party and asked him to serve the necessary parties instead of coming through motion exparte.
A member of the PDP, Mr Olopele Konstante Timi had through his counsel, Akpofiweii Anthony, sought the disqualification of the Deputy Governor over the allegation that his certificate was forged.
Olopele, in the suit dragged Ajayi and a governorship aspirant, to an Akure High Court seeking his disqualification from the primary election of the PDP.
He averred that Ajayi has breached the code of conduct for public officers and he should therefore be banned from holding any public office for a maximum period of ten years going forward.
The exparte motion brought before the court was instituted with an originating summon dated July 17, 2020 with suit no. AK/45M/2020.
The claimant averred that the Deputy Governor of Ondo State has consistently acted in breach of Section 1, 5th Schedule, Part 1 of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.
Also, he hinged the prayer for the disqualification of Ajayi on his perceived breach of the provisions of the regulations of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) Act, Cap W4 Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.
The Deputy Governor had said severally that the facts and issues in the matter are the same as the case already adjudicated upon by the Court of Appeal in case appeal number: CA/B/EPT/330A/2008. between the Deputy Governor, Hon. Agboola Ajayi (then Member of the National Assembly) and Prince Olubukola Ebietomiye of the Democratic People’s Alliance, (DPA) in 2007, wherein the appellant was absolved of any wrong doing.
Also, the same matter was adjudicated upon in a suit Olukayode Ijifusi V. Hon. Alfred Agboola Ajayi Suit Number: FCT/CV/1261/2020 Before Hon. Justice Adeniyi and again the Deputy Governor was vindicated.
While dismissing the motion exparte, Justice Adegbehingbe fixed the hearing of the substantive suit for July 30.
