By Deborah Onyofufeke
Justice Inyang Ekwo, of an Abuja Federal High Court has fixed December 1, for judgment in the fierce legal brawl ongoing in the Ogun state, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship ticket.

The court fixed the date after arguments were taken from parties involved in the legal battle concerning the disputed ticket.

Involved in the dispute are Otunba Jimi Adebisi Lawal and Oladipupo Adebutu, both governorship aspirants of the PDP who are laying claim and counterclaim to the ticket.

Jimi Lawal who contested the May 25 governorship primary election of PDP had challenged the emergence of Oladipupo Adebutu alleging that PDP fraudulently used unlawful and invalid delegate lists to conduct the election.

Among others, Lawal had prayed that the purported primary election of May 25 is cancelled and another one is conducted with the authentic Adhoc delegates.

However, on July 29, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in his judgment, declined to hear the suit of Jimi Lawal on merit on the grounds that the primary election was a domestic affair of any political party and dismissed the case.

The Supreme Court had, however, on November 21 ordered the Federal High Court to hear on merit, the suit instituted against PDP and Adebutu by Jimi Adebisi Lawal.

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Justice Ibrahim Saulawa of the Apex Court ordered a speedy hearing of the suit after holding that the Federal High Court has jurisdiction to entertain the case.

At Thursday’s proceedings, Justice Ekwo, in compliance with the Supreme Court order, heard the case expeditiously in view of the fact that the case would lapse by December 2.

Justice Ekwo said that he would do everything humanly possible to deliver judgment in the suit on December 1.

At the proceedings, Kanu Agabi SAN with Ola Olanipekun SAN stood for Jimmy Lawal as the plaintiff while Chief Chris Uche SAN argued for PDP and Oladipupo Adebutu.

While Agabi SAN prayed the court to grant his client’s request, Uche opposed the request and urged the court to dismiss the case on three grounds.