Tension grips State as Appeal Court ruling begins

Ondo State is holding its breath as the Court of Appeal in the South West State prepares to rule on a case that will decide the PDP standard bearer for the States governorship election.

Eyitayo Jegede and Jimoh Ibrahim are both PDP members; but a High Court had declared Ibrahim the authentic candidate for the governorship contest.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) thereafter affixed Ibrahim's name on the ballot.

ALSO READ: Court postpones Jegede's case indefinitely

Jegede's camp has since been up in arms since the ruling from Justice Okon Abang of an Abuja High Court.

Both candidates have been campaigning independently on the platform of the same party; each staking a claim.

"Mark my words, we will contest and win this election. Let me tell you, this is not about Eyitayo Jegede alone, it is about the people of Ondo State, this is about good governance in our state, this is about continuation and improvement on the good things we have been enjoying in our state", Jegede said recently.

“I’m in this business to reclaim my mandate and I’m serious about it.”

ALSO READ: Raise a hand if you know who authentic PDP candidate is

When the panel of the court of Appeal hearing the case was adjourned indefinitely, the Supreme Court overruled the lower court and ordered that the case be decided expeditiously, given that it is a pre-election matter.

Businessman Ibrahim says he's unfazed by the development.

“We are going to win. There is no grammar about that", said Ibrahim who is being backed by the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the PDP.

"It is not possible for my name to be removed for this election, it is not possible. Nobody can remove it, it is there and it will be there until Saturday.

"If you bring a matter before the Supreme Court and the court says you should go back to the appeal court to hear the case, how does that affect me?”

However, a ruling from the Appeal Court which is underway at the time of writing, should help resolve the bickering between the Eyitayo and Jegede factions of the PDP.

Our correspondent in Ondo reports that the Appeal Court ruling has been postponed thrice in four hours.

Ahmed Makarfi who leads the Jegede faction of the PDP is in court alongside other chieftains of the PDP on his side of the divide.

The Ondo governorship election holds on Saturday, November 26, 2016.

INEC has declared that it won't be postponingthe election on account of the internal crisis in the PDP.