Supreme Court Lifts Suspension of Judgments On Jegede

The Supreme Court has given the Court of Appeal the nod to resume hearing of all appeals relating to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidacy tussle in Ondo state.

This followed the withdrawal of 10 motions filed for stay of proceeding by the Ali-modu Sheriff faction which led to a stay of proceeding at the appellate court.

The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria who presided over the proceedings, Justice Walter Onoghene, dismissed the motion and awarded a cost of 250,000 naira against those who filed them.

Justice Onoghene ordered the Appeal Court to resume hearing because the case is a pre-election matter.

Counsel to the Sheriff-led PDP, Mr Beluolisa Nwofor, who earlier served the lower court the motions asked the Supreme Court to strike out the motion but the Supreme Court instead dismissed it.

The Appeal Court had adjourned indefinitely its judgment on the matter involving Mr Eyitayo Jegede’s appeal to reclaim the candidacy of the PDP in the November 26 governorship election.

This was after INEC replaced his name with that of Jimoh Ibrahim of the Modu-Sheriff faction as the party’s candidate in the election.

The judgment slated for delivery was put off by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa following a motion filed at the Supreme Court by the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff led-faction of the PDP asking the Appeal Court panel to hands off the matter.

The Court of Appeal had fixed Friday, November 18, 2016 to deliver judgment in respect of an appeal filed by Eyitayo Jegede against the decision of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Abuja, which ordered the substitution of his name with that of Jimoh Ibrahim for the governorship election.