Supreme Court Judgement: Adeleke says victory is divine; PDP expels Babayemi

Osun State Governor-Elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday, has reacted to the Supreme Court’s declaration of him as the authentic Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship candidate.

Recall that the Supreme Court on Thursday affirmed Ademola Adeleke as the authentic governorship candidate of the PDP in Osun State.

A unanimous judgement by a five-man panel of justices dismissed an appeal that was lodged against Adeleke by Prince Dotun Babayemi.

The panel had maintained that the appeal was incompetent, stressing that it was filed outside the 14 days provided by the law.

A governorship aspirant under PDP, Prince Dotun Babayemi had dragged Adeleke before a Federal High Court seeking to be declared as the candidate of PDP.

Babayemi had won the primary of the PDP faction held at the Children and Women Development Centre in Osogbo.

Adeleke won the primary held at Osogbo City Stadium, which was backed by the PDP national working committee.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had recognised Adeleke as the duly-elected candidate for the PDP.

The judge of the federal high court, Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel in a judgement delivered on May 18 had ruled that the primary which produced Babayemi is null and void.

Babayemi who was displeased with the ruling filed a suit at the court of appeal, Akure.

The governorship aspirant charged the appeal court to discard the judgement of the lower court.

The Court of Appeal on July 20, 2022, however, upheld the verdict of the High Court and consequently dismissed Babayemi’s appeal.

The Supreme court on Thursday in a unanimous judgement by a five-man panel of justices, dismissed an appeal that was lodged against Adeleke by Babayemi.

Counsel to Babayemi, Adebayo Adelodun, SAN, withdrew the appeal after the panel led by Justice Amina Augie drew his attention to the fact that the case was statute barred.

The panel had maintained that the appeal was incompetent, stressing that it was filed outside the 14 days provided by the law.

Reacting, Senator Adeleke said his victory is divine, stressing residents of Osun have embraced light to take them to the Promiseland.

Adeleke, in a statement by his spokesperson Olawale Rasheed, said: “This project is divine and is here to stay. Our people voted for light and we must all defend and sustain that mandate built on our five-point agenda for good governance.

“The outcome of the case is like the manifestation of the strong hand of God in his governorship project, declaring that he with the armour of God is in victory by divine will.”

He described the lord judges as agents of truth and justice said his faith in the judiciary has always been strong despite the 2018 incident just as he acknowledged the newly rebranded judiciary as an harbinger of fairness and equity.

The Governor-elect further appreciated his supporters within and outside the country, said he dedicated the victory to God and the people of Osun state whose tremendous support has kept him going since the departure of his late brother.

Meanwhile, the Osun State PDP chapter has expelled Prince Dotun Babayemi from the party for taking Adeleke to court.

In a victory statement by Osun PDP Caretaker Chairman, Dr Adekunle Akindele, the party described the Supreme Court judgement as another landmark for the Osun people.

While congratulating Adeleke, the party noted that Prince Dotun Babayemi ceased to be a member of the PDP and warned against any accommodation of the expelled politician in PDP matters.

“As we are rejoicing, we must note very strongly that a mole among us who was an active agent of the APC had since lost his membership of PDP. No organ or affiliates of the party should accommodate him or his agenda again within this party.

“Any member of the party who continues to romance the expelled member risks being charged with anti-party activities and may face appropriate sanctions. We must get rid of fifth columnists by descending heavily on them. We must uproot them and cut down their branches,” the statement reads.