TheCable

There was no sitting at the federal high court in Abuja, on Thursday, on the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti state.

There were reports earlier claiming that the federal high court in Abuja nullified the Ekiti APC governorship primary at a sitting on Thursday, and as such, Biodun Oyebanji, the party’s candidate, is out of the race.

The Ekiti governorship election is scheduled to take place on June 18.

However, checks by TheCable revealed that no such sitting held on Thursday.

Also, Catherine Oby-Christopher, assistant director on information at the federal high court, in a statement, said the information was not true.

“The attention of the Federal High Court has been drawn to an online report in circulation on the above subject matter with a purportedly assigned Suit Number: FHC/ABJ/CS/528/22, claiming that Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo disqualified the APC candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, from the Ekiti governorship election, less than 48 hours to the polls,” the statement reads.

“The Federal High Court hereby debunks the existence of any such case in its entire jurisdiction and indeed the Court Order as alleged.

“The Contact Court states categorically that there has been no such case before Hon. Justice I.E. Ekwo.

“The said report is unfounded, very mischievous and aimed at not only misleading members of the public, but also causing tension.”

Also speaking on the development, Segun Dipe, Ekiti APC spokesperson, dismissed the reports, adding that although there are various suits before different courts on the primary, none has gone beyond the preliminary stage.

“The warped rumour is a demarketing gimmick of some desperate opposition who are unmindful of the fact that they are causing further damage to their zero chances at the poll, instead of enhancing it,” he said.

“While we do not expect anyone to take such mindless and baseless rumour serious, we, however, owe the public the duty of care and assurance that they should disregard the rumour, which is farthest from the truth.

“Yes, there were some cases filed by some disgruntled elements regarding the governorship primaries we organised in January this year, which saw to the emergence of Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji as the candidate of our party, but none has gone beyond the preliminary stage and all of them have been transferred back to Ekiti for hearing.

“No high court is sitting on any matter regarding our primary in Abuja as at today. Furthermore, every matter relating to the primary has been adjourned till September this year. To the best of our knowledge, none is up for hearing at the moment. The only one perhaps is in the wildest imagination of our detractors, which cannot see the light of day. Our party remains focused on the coming election and sure of untainted victory at the end.

“APC, therefore, calls on all electorate in the state to remain calm and unshaken in their resolve to ensure that their adored candidate, Oyebanji, and adored party, APC coast home to victory come Saturday, 18 June 2022.”