A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo yesterday dismissed the suit instituted by 2,517 aggrieved members of All Progressives Congress (APC) loyal to Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola to invalidate ward congress held on July 31, last year.
The plaintiffs had approached the court, seeking an order, recognising them as the eligible aspirants in the ward congress and declaring them unopposed.
The aggrieved chieftain belong to a rebellious group in the Osun APC, “The Osun Progressives” loyal to Aregbesola, who has publicly identified with them and shunned the Adamu Reconciliation Committee, during its visit to Osogbo, the state capital. Ruling on the application, the presiding judge, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, held that the court lacked jurisdiction to dabble into ‘internal and domestic’ affairs of the party, adding any hearing of the application is an exercise in futility.
He emphasized that the suit brought before the court was strictly party affairs, which the court lacks jurisdiction on the matter. Justice Ayoola held that the prayer of the plaintiffs, seeking an order of the court, declaring them as authentic candidates in the ward congress is not justifiable and ran contrary to Section 87 of the Electoral Act.
