Judge withdraws from suit on Ogun State PDP crisis

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos has withdrawn from adjudicating on a suit involving two factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State.

He recused himself after the defendants accused him of being biased.

The suit, numbered FHC/L/CS/1581/2018, was filed by Prince Segun Seriki, Chief Tuke Omotara, Hon. Nosiru Isiaka Giwa, Chief Remix Bakare, Apostle Abiodun Sanyaolu, Chief Kola Soriola and Chief Oyede Elijah through their lawyer Ajibola Oluyede.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP and its chairman Prince Uche Secondus, Senator Ibrahim Tsauri, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, Sikirulai Ogundele, Bode Bankole, Waliu Oladipupo and Tunde Alekuwodo are the defendants.

The plaintiffs, in their originating summons, prayed for an order replacing Akinwonmi with Seriki as the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South).

They urged the court to compel PDP national leadership to recognise Chief Adebayo Dayo-led faction as the authentic Executive Committee in Ogun State.

But, the defendants, in their preliminary objection filed by through their lawyers led by Emeka Etiaba (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the suit for being incompetent and an abuse of court processes.

Defence counsel asked Justice Aneke to withdraw from the suit for allegedly showing bias

But, Oluyede urged the judge to not to withdraw from the case, saying: “I ask the court to discountenance the application particularly by Etiaba asking my Lord to recuse himself of this matter.”

Ruling, Justice Aneke recused himself since, according to him, the defendants no longer had confidence in him.

“The case file shall be remitted to the Chief Judge for reassignment,” the judge added.

Before the court sat, Ogun State PDP Youth Leader Comrade Segun Okeowo, led a protest, demanding that the judge withdrew from the case.

In a petition to the Chief Judge, signed by Comrade Waliu Oladipupo, the defendants said they no longer had confidence in Justice Aneke.

After citing instances of alleged bias against the judge in the course of proceedings, they urged the CJ to re-assign the case to another judge and to transfer it to Ogun State to save the parties the inconveniences of travel risks and costs