The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday accused Justice Sunday Adeniyi, the State High Court judge overseeing a case challenging the party’s candidates for the upcoming local government elections, of bias.
The PDP claims that Adeniyi is a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was appointed to the bench by Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The party also alleged that Adeniyi was once the Campaign Director General for Abiodun’s 2015 senatorial bid and served as Caretaker Chairman of Ikenne Local Government, the Governor’s hometown.
The case in question was filed by a faction of the PDP led by Sikirullahi Ogundele, which is contesting the validity of the candidates nominated by the party for the November 16 local government elections.
The faction argues that the candidates’ names do not appear on the list of registered members approved by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) following the recent Ward Congresses.
The plaintiffs, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Kazeem Gbadamosi, are asking the court to rule on whether candidates whose names are not included in the authentic register can be nominated for the election.
The PDP’s state chairman, Abayomi Tella, expressed concern that the lawsuit was part of a wider strategy to disqualify the party’s candidates and prevent them from participating in the election.
He accused the state government of being behind the suit and pointed out that the judge’s alleged connections with the APC might undermine the fairness of the case.
Tella called on Justice Adeniyi to either recuse himself or deliver an impartial judgment that aligns with the rule of law.
“We believe in the rule of law and respect for the judiciary, but we are also aware of the political background of the judge handling this case. We are not questioning his integrity, but we urge him to either step down from this case or ensure that justice is done without any bias.” he said.
Tella also emphasized the PDP’s growing popularity in the state, claiming that the ruling APC was feeling threatened by the party’s increasing chances of winning the election across the 20 local governments.
The state government, through Governor Abiodun’s spokesperson Kayode Akinmade, dismissed the PDP’s claims, stating that the state government operates separately from political parties, and the issue should be directed to the party’s leadership.
Responding, the APC’s spokesperson, Tunde Oladunjoye, criticized PDP for seeking excuses for its internal divisions, particularly citing the party’s parallel congresses and multiple lawsuits filed by its factions.
When asked about the allegations against Justice Adeniyi, Oladunjoye remarked, “Attacks on judges by parties involved in legal matters only undermine the integrity of the judiciary. If the PDP feels strongly about the matter, there are legal avenues they can pursue to address their concerns.”
The case is expected to be ruled on Thursday, just two days before the election.
