Court sacks PDP law maker over fake results

The election of Musa Arogundade, a member of the Ekiti state House of Assembly representing Ado constituency 1, has been annulled by a Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti. Delivering his judgment, the trial judge, Taiwo Taiwo, said evidence before the court showed that Arogundade did not participate in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election conducted on November 29, 2014, The Cable reports.

“From the totality of arguments by parties involved, I am of the belief that the arguments of the defendants stand so weak to that of the plaintiff.

“I hereby order that the certificate of return be issued to the plaintiff by INEC and the immediate swearing-in of Obayemi by the speaker of the house of assembly as a member.

“I also order that all salaries and allowances received by Musa Arogundade be returned,” the judge ruled. Taiwo ordered for Toyin Obayemi, who filed a suit to challenge Arogundade’s victory to be sworn in by the speaker of the assembly. Joined in the suit are INEC, Talabi Odunayo (who was declared winner of the primary), PDP Ekiti chapter, and Musa Arogundade as the first, second third and fourth defendants respectively.

In his originating summons, Olayinka Sookoya, Obayemi’s lawyer, told the court that Talabi submitted fake documents including GCE and OND results to INEC. He averred that Talabi was not qualified to contest the state assembly election and urged the court to declare Obayemi the winner of the election as the sole candidate in the party primary.