The Federal High Court sitting in Akure has reserved judgment in a suit challenging the eligibility of the deputy governor of Ondo state, Dr. Olayide Adelami, to contest last Saturday’s governorship election.

Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Agboola Ajayi, had filed the suit challenging the qualification of Adelami as running mate to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Ajayi, in the suit, sought the disqualification of APC from the ballot.

In his originating summons, Ajayi, who came second at the poll said Adelami had multiple conflicting and irreconcilable names of Adelami Owolabi Jackson and Olaide Owolabi Adelami.

The former Deputy Governor asked the court to disqualify Adelami and the governorship candidate.

Among his prayers were, “That the first defendant (Adelami) is constitutionally disqualified from contesting the election as Deputy Governorship candidate of APC.

“A declaration that the APC has no validly nominated Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidate for the 2024 election.”

He asked for an order disqualifying the defendants from participating in the election as well as an order restraining INEC from publishing their names or allowing them to participate in the election.

Counsel to Adelami, Remi Olatubora, in his reaction, said that the West African Examination Council (WAEC) result has the name Adelami Owolabi Jackson in 1974 and that a degree certificate from Ambrose Alli University issued in 1982 has the name Adelami Olaide Owolabi.

Olatubora said the grievance of the plaintiffs was not about discrepancies in the name but the order or arrangements of the names.

Olatubora said the plaintiffs have no right to file the suit in accordance with section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022 because they are not members of All Progressives Congress and did not participate in the primaries of the APC that produced Adelami and Aiyedatiwa as candidates

He said: “The plaintiffs lack the locus standi to file the suit or seek the reliefs set out in the originating summons. That the suit as a matter of law does not qualify as a pre-election matter, and this court lacks jurisdiction.”

Olatubora said the suit is incompetent having been commenced by originating summon instead of a writ of summons as the suit is based on the allegation of fraud Presiding Judge, Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke, fixed judgment on the suit to a date to be communicated to all parties.