Court fixes Thursday for ruling on communications minister’s suit against APC

The Federal High Court, Ibadan, on Wednesday, reserved until Thursday the judgment in the case between Communication Minister, Mr. Adebayo Shittu; and All Progressives Congress over the party’s primary election.

The minister, a member of the APC, had sued the party, seeking redress for allegedly being denied participation in the governorship primary election in Oyo State.

He claimed that APC’s national leadership omitted his name in the list of its governorship aspirants for the primaries in Oyo State because he did not participate in the National Youth Service Corps scheme.

After filing of written addresses by the plaintiff and the defendants, the Judge, Justice P.I. Ajoku, fixed Thursday afternoon for judgment on the reliefs sought by the minister.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Abdulhakeem Mustafa (SAN), had, among other things, urged the court to determine whether the ground for disqualifying his client was lawful or a contravention of the constitution.

Mustafa argued that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria required anyone seeking to be a state governor to possess a maximum of Senior Secondary School Certificate and not necessarily an NYSC certificate.

He tendered a 38-paragraph affidavit and 13 exhibits before the court to support his claims.

In his opposition to the plaintiff’s prayer, Mr Adebayo Ojo, the defence counsel, said that the matter was already a dead issue, and therefore, academic.

“My lord, the plaintiff is merely flogging a dead horse because the matter is of no benefit to him or the party, APC.

“It has become academic; the sister case he filed in Federal High Court, Abuja, has also been struck out,” Ojo stated.

(NAN)