Court strikes out suit against appointment of Osun Election Commission chair

Justice Nathaniel Ayo Emmanuel of the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo has dismissed a suit filed by the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, challenging the appointment of Barrister Hashim Abioye as chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC.

The Osun APC had filed a suit numbered FHC/OS/CS/02/2024 challenging Abioye’s appointment as OSSIEC chairman, alleging that he is a card carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The party joined the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, the Osun State House of Assembly, the Speaker, Adewale Egbedun, OSSIEC and Abioye as defendants.

The Osun APC also sought an injunction against the defendants from appointing or confirming the appointment of Abioye as the chairman of OSSIEC. It also asked the court to stop Abioye from parading himself as chairman of the electoral body.

While delivering a ruling in the suit, the court presided over by Justice Ayo Emmanuel dismissed the APC’s application for reason of incompetence.

Reacting to the development, Abioye described the suit as a personal vendetta by the APC against him.

“Like I said when the suit was initiated by the APC, it is a frivolous and a non-starter, a brought-in-dead suit, which was aimed at discrediting my competence and qualification to lead OSSIEC,” he said.