The Lagos division of Appeal Court, has affirmed Mr. Abdul Kareem Shittu as the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Ikorodu Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.
The three-man panel, dismissed an appeal by Shittu’s co-aspirant Awesu AbdulAzeez A. and the PDP challenging the judgment of Justice Daniel Osiagor of a Lagos Federal High Court, that declared Shittu as the party’s flag bearer.
Justice Abdullahi Mahmud Bayero, who read the lead judgement, agreed with Shittu’s counsel Patience Patrick Udoh, that the appeal lacked merit and “it is accordingly dismissed.”
The court also dismissed a separate appeal filed by the PDP against Shittu’s victory.
It also awarded a punitive cost of N5 million against the PDP and in Shittu’s favour, adding that the appeal was needless.
The court also ordered Awesu to pay Shittu the sum of N500,000 for bringing a vexatious appeal against him.
Justice Osiagor had sometimes in September, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Shitu as the validly nominated candidate for the Ikorodu Federal Constituency.
The judge held that Shittu won the party’s House of Representatives primary conducted on May 24, 2022, by a simple majority.
He also held that the INEC form signed by officials of the party and countersigned by the INEC official had the name of the plaintiff, Abdul Kareem Shittu, written on it as the winner of the primary election.
He held further that there was no cogent reason given by the PDP for a repeat election or the cancellation of its primary election of May 24 for the Ikorodu Federal Constituency.
The court consequently, ordered the PDP to submit to INEC, the name of Abdul Kareem Shittu, as the candidate of the party in place of Awesu AbdulAzeez whose name was submitted.
The judge made the order while delivering judgment in Shittu’s suit challenging the PDP’s purported submission of the name of the third defendant in the suit, Awesu AbdulAzeez A. to INEC as its candidate for the constituency.
The PDP and INEC are listed as the first and second defendants.
