Supreme Court plans special panel on dispute over Ekiti APC Gov ticket

Supreme Court has decided to constitute a special panel of seven members to determine the dispute arising from the January 27, 2022 governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State.

The apex court took the decision last Thursday at the mention of an appeal filed by Engineer Kayode Ojo, an aspirant in the primary, who claimed to have won the primary and insisted that he is the authentic candidate of the APC for the last governorship election in Ekiti State.

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court presided over by Justice John Okoro directed Ojo’s legal team led by Alex Izinyon (SAN) to write the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola to constitute the seven-member panel to consider the constitutional issues thrown up by the appeal.

The court’s directive to the appellant to apply for the constitution of a full panel to hear the appeal was a sequel to an application by Izinyon.

In reaction to the court’s observation that the 180 days stipulated for the hearing of such pre-elections cases had lapsed, Izinyon noted that there were constitutional issues raised in the appeal, requiring a formal determination.