Following the distortion in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) camp in the Ondo state governorship race, Nigeria’s apex court, the Supreme Court has halted all appeal cases before the Appeal Court in respect to the election.
The Supreme Court, in a letter dated November 14, 2016 and signed by the Head/Receiving Unit, Mr Mohammad Ndayako, ESQ, confirmed that all appeals in respect of Ondo State PDP matters have been received at the Supreme Court.
Specifically in the letter addressed to the Deputy Registrar of the Court of Appeal, the Chief Registrar said: “This is to confirm you that the records of appeals in respect of the above mentioned Civil Appeals compiled by the Appellants have been transmitted to and received by the Supreme Court Registry, Abuja and given Appeals Nos. SC.953/2016 and SC.954/2016 respectively on November 11, 2016.”
In a press statement signed by the Ondo State PDP candidate, Dr Jimoh Ibrahim, the letter has thus put an end to who really is the PDP flagbearer in the state saying: “By this letter, all cases relating to Ondo PDP 2016 will now be adjourned sine die (indefinitely) until Supreme Court rule.”
The Supreme Court also confirmed in its letter to the lower court that a Motion for stay of further proceedings was filed on November 11, 2016 in each of the stated appeals and now pending in Supreme Court.
The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC recently in it final list of candidates for the election declared Jimoh Ibrahim the candidate of PDP to replace Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s anointed choice, Eyitayo Jegede. The decision sparked off agitation from the Mimiko group which headed for the Court of Appeal, Abuja. But the confirmation from the Supreme Court has finally cleared the coast for the business mogul who flagged off his campaign in the state with a mega rally at Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area on Monday with an unprecedented and historic crowd at the Government Field, Ore.
Handing over the party’s flag to the “authentic standard bearer of the party”, Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff said: “Today, we have begun the journey. On November 23, I will come again to close the it when we will have the grand finale of the campaign.” Eloquent Jimoh Ibrahim assured Ondo State people that he was on a mission to transform the state after the devastating misrule of governor Mimiko in the last eight years whereby workers, pensioners and public servants are languishing in penury over unpaid salaries and other emoluments for months.
His words: “I will pay all back log of salaries currently being owed by the state and restore light to those areas that have being in darkness for so many years, within my first 100 days in office.
“I will create wealth and take your poverty away while the state shall take the first position in developmental stride during my administration.
“Also in my first 100 days at governor of this state, I promise to reintroduce the boarding system to hundred Government owned secondary schools across the state, to bring back lost glory and high education standards enjoyed by students in the past.
“The fully boarding system was what sharpened and built our educational and moral standards back then as students which had continued to be our guide and approach to life in business engagements and political participation.
“The person that will make me governor is God; how He is going to do it, only Him knows. What we’re fighting is injustice and not that we’re forcing ourselves on the people; but we’re preaching equal justice and fairness to all districts in the state where every area will be treated equally in wealth distribution and infrastructural development.”
