Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Monday dismissed earlier judgment in a suit filed by Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi and pronounced by Federal High Court against selection of Sen. Kola Balogun as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).
Recalled that Gbolarumi had challenged the selection of Balogun as the party’s candidate for Oyo South senatorial district averring that the senator didn’t participate in the primaries.
In its ruling on Monday, Justice J.O Bada, who read the judgement, set aside the the judgement delivered by Justice P. Ajoke at the Federal High Court, Ibadan against Sen. Kola Mohammed Balogun of the People’s Democratic party (PDP) for the Oyo South Senatorial District election, while delivered the judgement in favour of the Appealant, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi.
“The judgement of the Lower Court is hereby unanimously set aside and the prayers sought by the appellant in the trial court are hereby granted, he said.
Recalled, Barr. Hazeem Gbolarumi, dragged the party, PDP to court over its decision to hand over the Oyo South senatorial ticket to Dr Kola Balogun who returned to the party after Party primary Election in November last year.
He asked the court to declare him the authentic candidate since the winner of the ticket, Barr Bayo Lawal, surrendered the ticket to Balogun after he was reportedy prevailed upon by the party’s governorship candidate, Seyi Makinde then.
Gbolarumi said his prayers are in line with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
Gbolarumi, also claimed that Balogun, a former Commissioner for Trade, Investments and Cooperatives in the state, is still a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) being one of the 12 governorship aspirants that dragged the party and its leaders in Oyo State to court over the manner in which Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin emerged as the party’s governorship candidate.
Besides, Gbolarumi stated that the party did not offer Balogun a waiver to contest having just joined the party. He said the party’s constitution and the Act provide that aspirants must have been members of a party for minimum of six months before they can contest for electoral positions unless they were giving waivers by the party.
Balogun is the present senator from the senatorial district after defeating former governor Abiola Ajimobi at the February 23, 2019 senatorial poll.
