By Rebecca Akinkanju
A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo state on Monday struck out a case of eligibility against the nomination of an elected member of the House of Representatives, Prince Musiliudeen Olaide Akinremi.
Akinremi, an APC member is representing Ibadan North in the house of Representatives, Abuja.
A certain plaintiff, Stephen Johnson who took the matter before Justice P. I. Ajoku had prayed the court, through his counsel, Sheu Popoola-Taiwo, a Lagos based lawyer, to disqualify Akinremi Jagaban, alleging that he (lawmaker) was sometimes in 2013 convicted in Liberia.
At the resumption of the definite hearing of the matter with suit number FHC/IB/CS/138/18 instituted in November last year, on Monday, Popoola-Taiwo represented by Jimoh Bamgbala told the court the plaintiff (Stephen Johnson) had instructed that the matter be discontinued.
A counsel said the withdrawal was not unconnected with the fact that the plaintiff had realised that there was an appeal setting aside the alleged guilty verdict entered by jurors in Liberia.
In striking out the matter on Monday in Ibadan, Justice Ajoku awarded N70, 000 cost against the plaintiff to be paid in the sum of N50, 000 to Akinremi Jagaban and the N20, 000 to the INEC.
Responding, Akinremi’s counsel, Ademola Salami said ,”the matter was struck out when the plaintiff was confronted with a superior judgment of the court which set aside the guilty verdict entered by the jurors of the lower court.
Salami opined, “The guilty verdict was never a judgment of the court and same having been set aside, and a fresh trial ordered in April, 2013, nothing has been done because the solicitor general of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Republic of Liberia in their findings concluded that there was no sufficient evidence to prosecute the matter.
“Summarily, there was no conviction at all, the plaintiff is a mere busybody; a meddulous interloper being sponsored by a spurious contestant who lost the election,” Salami added.
Following the development, supporters of Akinremi Jagaban erupted in wild jubilation as they charged the lawmaker to continue his philanthropic gestures for the people of Ibadan North and Ibadanland in general and use his time in Abuja to facilitate greater things for the people of the area.
