>
…with Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Senator Buruji Kashamu has reacted to the judgement of the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan which nullified his Ogun PDP governorship candidacy this afternoon.
The three-man appeal panel today, December 18, 2018, set aside the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abeokuta which threw up Kashamu and his factional members as the authentic PDP candidates.
The panel headed by Justice A. B. Bada, resolved the four issues raised for determination in the appeal in favour of the PDP, saying the appellants were not properly served in the case at the lower court which breached their rights to fair hearing.
READ: BREAKING: Appeal Court sacks Kashamu as PDP governorship candidate in Ogun
But in a statement released by his campaign organisation and signed by Austin Oniyoko, Kashamu said the judgement did not declare his opponent, Hon. Oladipo Adebutu, as the governorship candidate.
His words: “We have received the news of the judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital that set aside the orders of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta.
“We wish to clarify that contrary to the false news being spread by our opponents, the Court of Appeal did not declare Honourable Oladipupo Adebutu or anyone for that matter as the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State. That was not the prayers of PDP who are the appellants in the matter and so such a prayer could not have been granted.
“The Court specifically held that it was not a pre-election matter where the nomination of candidates is in issue since the matter was filed by the Engr. Adebayo Dayo-led Ogun State PDP and not aspirants.
“The extant judgment of the Court of Appeal in this appeal does not finally determine the matter. That is why it ordered that the case file should be returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment of the case to another judge who will hear and determine the originating summons.
“Finally, our lawyers have taken steps to immediately appeal the judgment of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court”.