An attempt to substitute the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria
(ACN) with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the appeal by its
governorship candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu, challenging the election of Ondo
State governor, Olusegun Mimiko has failed at the Supreme court.
Akeredolu contested and lost the
governorship election to the incumbent on the platform of ACN before it metamorphosed
into APC alongside other parties.
When hearing opened in the appeals
arising from the election yesterday, the apex court struck out the defunct
party’s name from the appeal after turning down the request of Akeredolu’s
counsel, Wole Aina, for the substitution.
The panel also fixed tomorrow for
judgment in the four appeals, being the last day allowed for the determination
of such by the extant electoral laws.
Counsel for Mimiko, Wole Olanipekun
(SAN), had urged the panel to take judicial notice of the fact that ACN; the
second appellant, was no longer in existence due to its merger with other
parties.
The panel of the court headed by
Justice Walter Onoghen, in its ruling, consequently struck out the name of ACN
as a party in the appeal.
With the striking out of ACN’s name
as party in the appeal, it implies that the party’s counsel cannot canvass his
case before the court but the candidate can still be heard.
Meanwhile Chief Akeredolu last night reacted to the
development thus:
The Supreme Court today heard our Appeal; and based on the recent merger
of ACN with CPC and ANPP and its consequent metamorphosis into APC, the name of
ACN was struck out as the Second Appellant.The striking out of ACN is simply a
formality, with no effect on the substance of the case.I therefore urge our teeming
supporters to remain calm and prayerful, for justice to prevail. The case has
been adjourned to Thursday 29th August 2013 for final judgment. OLUWAROTIMI O.
AKEREDOLU, ESQ, SAN
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Politics