The Federal High Court, Ilorin on Wednesday nullified the candidacy of Rep Raheem Olawuyi Ajulo-opin  while declaring Hon C.O Adebayo as the authentic APC candidate for the upcoming 2023 Isin/Oke-Ero/Ekiti/Irepodun House of Representatives election.

Ajulo Opin , who became a member of the House of Representatives after winning the bye- election held on November 18,2018, had later retained his parliament seat in  the 2019  general election. 

Ahead of the 2023 general election, Ajulo Opin had sought to get the Kwara South APC senate nomination and he had  participated in the primary election that eventually produced Senator Lola Ashiru as winner.

Before the Kwara South APC primary election was held , the House of Representatives primary election had been held  and  Hon C.O Adebayo had been declared  as Isin/Oke-Ero/Ekiti/Irepodun APC  House of Representatives candidate. 

The party however held a  fresh primary election which was boycotted by Adebayo and had Ajulo Opin declared as  the new candidate.

‘The outcome was widely accepted by all and all aspirants in that election had congratulated Adebayo.

The purported re-run election was not communicated to Cornelius Oluwasegun Adebayo and the reason for the cancellation of the only valid election is still unknown’ Emmanuel Moronfoye, who is one of the supporters of Adebayo, had submitted.

Dissatisfied with the steps taken by the leadership  of the party, Adebayo had taken  a legal action by  instituting  a lawsuit seeking to reclaim his candidacy.

Adebayo on Wednesday called his court victory good news while noting that it was a victory for all.

He urged APC members in the state  to come together and jointly work for the victory of all candidates of the party in the 2023 general election.  

Calling  the APC in the state ‘one  big family’, Adebayo  said ‘it is time for fence- mending and reconciliation’.

‘All I can say is to thank God Almighty , who always keeps his word and stands in support of His people.  It is a victory for all. I want to beg all party members to note that we are one big family.

  The next course of action is fence -mending and reconciliation, because we are one big family .  We must ensure all our party’s candidates earn victory in the 2023 general election.  I urge all our party members to please make this a priority’ he submitted in a telephone interview with newsmen on Wednesday

Rep. Tunji Olawuyi has however  assured that he will  be appealing  the ruling.

 Olawuyi  in a statement issued in Omu-Aran on Wednesday noted that  he had an unflinching faith in the nation’s judiciary.

He urged  party faithful and those he referred to as his  teeming supporters not to lose hope  asserting that there was no cause for concern  expressing confidence that the court of Appeal will overturn the ruling nullifying his candidacy.

Olawuyi  also said he remains  the candidate recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) until the final determination of the case.

He urged  supporters and party faithful to continue with their campaign activities.