Adebayo Shittu, former Minister of Communications, 2015-2019, who had instituted a case against his party, All Progressives Congress, APC, on the grounds of being denied participation in the 2019 governorship primary in Oyo State, lost at the Supreme Court on July 18.
Among other things, he claimed that APC’s national leadership omitted his name in the list of its governorship aspirants for the primaries in Oyo State because he did not participate in the National Youth Service Corps scheme.
His counsel urged the court to determine whether the ground for disqualifying his client was lawful or in contravention of the constitution.
He argued that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria required anyone seeking to be a state governor to possess a maximum of Senior Secondary School Certificate and not necessarily an NYSC certificate.
Adebayo Ojo, the defence counsel, in his opposition to the plaintiff’s prayer, said that the matter was already a dead issue, and therefore, academic.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous verdict by a five-man panel led by Justice John Okoro, dismissed the suit for being statute-barred.
“This appeal is dismissed haven been withdrawn by the appellant and no objection and there is no order as at cost,” Justice Okoro said.
The Oyo State chapter of the ruling party prevented Shittu from participating in its primary election because he skipped the mandatory one-year NYSC after his graduation from the Obafemi Awolowo University in 1978.
Ex- Communication Minister, Shittu, looses again
Adebayo Shittu, former Minister of Communications, 2015-2019, who had instituted a case against his party, All Progressives Congress, APC, on the grounds of being denied participation in the 2019 governorship primary in Oyo State, lost at the Supreme Court on July 18.
Among other things, he claimed that APC’s national leadership omitted his name in the list of its governorship aspirants for the primaries in Oyo State because he did not participate in the National Youth Service Corps scheme.
His counsel urged the court to determine whether the ground for disqualifying his client was lawful or in contravention of the constitution.
He argued that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria required anyone seeking to be a state governor to possess a maximum of Senior Secondary School Certificate and not necessarily an NYSC certificate.
Adebayo Ojo, the defence counsel, in his opposition to the plaintiff’s prayer, said that the matter was already a dead issue, and therefore, academic.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous verdict by a five-man panel led by Justice John Okoro, dismissed the suit for being statute-barred.
“This appeal is dismissed haven been withdrawn by the appellant and no objection and there is no order as at cost,” Justice Okoro said.
The Oyo State chapter of the ruling party prevented Shittu from participating in its primary election because he skipped the mandatory one-year NYSC after his graduation from the Obafemi Awolowo University in 1978.
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