The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an appeal by Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, for lacking in merit.

Akeredolu had, by the appeal, challenged a July 20017 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which upheld an order by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of Federal High Court in Abuja, granting permission to Olusegun Abraham to serve Akeredolu through substituted means, court documents in relation to the suit he (Abraham) filed.

Abraham’s suit is challenging the outcome of the primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which produced Akeredolu as the party’s candidate for the last governorship election in Ondo State.

In a unanimous judgment on the appeal marked: SC/698/2017, a five-man panel of the Supreme Court held that Akeredolu’s appeal was without merit.

Akeredolu has however described the court’s decision as a none-issue.

Justice John Okoro, in the lead judgment, but read by Justice Paul Galinje, upheld the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and awarded N500,000 cost against Akeredolu, in favour of Abraham.

Justice Galinje said: “The appellant went to the Federal High Court to challenge serve of originating summons and other process on him. His challenge was dismissed. At the appeal to the Court of Appeal, his appeal was also dismissed.

“He further appealed to this place and filed six grounds of appeal and formulated four issues for determination of the appeal. My leaned brother considered all the issues submitted for the determination of this appeal and came to the conclusion that the appeal lacks merit and ought to be dismissed.

“The appeal is accordingly dismissed. Cost of N500,000 is awarded against the appellant and against the 1st respondent.”

Justices Ibrahim Tanko, Olukayode Ariwoola, Kumai Akaahs and Galinje, who were also members of the panel, agreed with the lead judgment.

In a reaction to the judgment, Akeredolu, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Segun Ajiboye, assured the people of the state that there is no cause for alarm over the supreme

“Court ruling which dismissed the appeal filed by him. He describes the ruling as a non-issue.

The governor asks the peace-loving people to dismiss the ruling, adding that it is nothing to worry about and advised them to continue to support his administration in its determination to develop the state.

“What the Supreme Court ruled on was whether the service of the Originating Process on the APC secretariat in Abuja, instead of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, was right or not.

“At best, the ruling only succeeded in correcting Abraham to serve Akeredolu through substituted means in relation to the suit he (Abraham) filed.

Governor Akeredolu, therefore, wants to state equivocally that there is no cause for alarm over the ruling delivered by the Supreme Court,” Ajiboye said. (The Nation)

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