Appeal court reserves judgment on Ekiti assembly seat

Justice Ahmad Belgore of Court of Appeal yesterday reserved
judgment on the Ado-Ekiti Constituency 1 seat of the Ekiti State
House of Assembly.

The judge told the parties after listening to the briefs adopted
by their counsel that the court would communicate the date of
judgment to them.

Counsel to Arogundade, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), in adopting his
brief of argument, urged the court to allow the appeal and set
aside the judgment of the Federal High Court which sacked his
client as lawmaker.

Counsel to Obayemi, Mr. Olayinka Sokoya, urged the court to
refuse the appeal with substantial cost.

The appeal was filed by the lawmaker representing the
constituency, Musa Arogundade, against the judgment of the Federal
High Court, Ado-Ekiti which declared Mr. Toyin Obayemi as the valid
candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the April 11,
2015 Assembly poll.

The Federal High Court presided over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo had
on July 4, 2016 nullified Arogundade’s election and ordered him to
refund all salaries, allowances and emoluments he had received
since his inauguration.

The lower court held that Arogundade fraudulently obtained a
Federal High Court, Abuja order to validate his candidacy and that
he served as an agent to another contestant, Mr. Odunayo Talabi, at
the poll and was never a candidate.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, Arogundade filed an appeal and
joined Obayemi, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),
Talabi and PDP as Respondents.

Justice Ahmad Belgore of Court of Appeal yesterday reserved
judgment on the Ado-Ekiti Constituency 1 seat of the Ekiti State
House of Assembly.

The judge told the parties after listening to the briefs adopted
by their counsel that the court would communicate the date of
judgment to them.

Counsel to Arogundade, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), in adopting his
brief of argument, urged the court to allow the appeal and set
aside the judgment of the Federal High Court which sacked his
client as lawmaker.

Counsel to Obayemi, Mr. Olayinka Sokoya, urged the court to
refuse the appeal with substantial cost.

The appeal was filed by the lawmaker representing the
constituency, Musa Arogundade, against the judgment of the Federal
High Court, Ado-Ekiti which declared Mr. Toyin Obayemi as the valid
candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the April 11,
2015 Assembly poll.

The Federal High Court presided over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo had
on July 4, 2016 nullified Arogundade’s election and ordered him to
refund all salaries, allowances and emoluments he had received
since his inauguration.

The lower court held that Arogundade fraudulently obtained a
Federal High Court, Abuja order to validate his candidacy and that
he served as an agent to another contestant, Mr. Odunayo Talabi, at
the poll and was never a candidate.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, Arogundade filed an appeal and
joined Obayemi, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),
Talabi and PDP as Respondents.