Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan has adjourned the hearing in the suit over the governorship candidacy of the African Democratic Congress, (ADC), in Oyo State till September 30, 2026.
The adjournment followed fresh applications and service issues raised by parties in the matter.
Speaking after the court session on Tuesday, counsel to the plaintiff, Monday Mawah, explained that the suit was filed after the ADC governorship primary election held on May 22.
He said one of the aspirants, Dr Gbemileke Alagbe, emerged winner after contesting against three other aspirants, but there were moves to substitute his name with another aspirant who did not win the primary.
“Sometime in May, ADC in Oyo State conducted a primary election for gubernatorial and other offices. Dr. Alagbe emerged as the winner in an election where about four aspirants contested.
“Unfortunately, we heard that some individuals in the party were making moves to change the name of the winner, Dr. Gbemileke Alagbe, to the name of someone who did not win, and we immediately rushed to court. Along the line, INEC published the name of one of the aspirants, Adegboyega Adegoke.”
Mawah disclosed that the aspirant whose name was published by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had earlier applied to be joined as a party to the suit, which the plaintiffs did not oppose.
He said, however, that at Tuesday’s sitting, the applicant withdrew his application to be joined.
“Along the line, the aspirant whose name was published brought an application to be joined as a party and we welcomed it, but today they applied to withdraw their application, which they have the right to do, so they withdrew it.
“We have told the court today that the matter cannot proceed prominently without bringing the person whom the party purportedly published his name as the candidate.”
Mawah added that the court also adjourned the matter because one of the parties informed the court that he had not been served.
“So the court adjourned the trial till 30th of September to enable it take all the pending applications together with the substantive suit and adjourn for final judgment.
“We are confident in the judiciary that justice will prevail before the end of this month,” he added.