In a surprising turn of events, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, representing Ondo South senatorial district in the National Assembly, has decided to withdraw his case against the primary election of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that resulted in the emergence of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the party’s candidate. This announcement came through a statement released by Senator Ibrahim on Tuesday.
The senator revealed that his decision to withdraw the case was influenced by the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
While the specific details of President Tinubu’s involvement were not disclosed, it played a significant role in Senator Ibrahim’s change of heart.
However, this development comes shortly after Ebenezer Adeniyan, the spokesperson for Governor Aiyedatiwa, accused Senator Ibrahim of “grandstanding” and attempting to undermine the party by taking the primary election to court.
Recalling the events, Senator Ibrahim had initially participated in the APC governorship primary held on April 20, alongside Governor Aiyedatiwa and 14 other contestants.
However, he did not emerge as the party’s candidate and promptly resorted to challenging the process in the federal court.
Senator Ibrahim had filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking the nullification of the primary election results and the prevention of Governor Aiyedatiwa from presenting himself as the APC candidate for the upcoming November governorship election. He called for a fresh primary, labeling the initial exercise as a “mega fraud.”
In his statement, Senator Ibrahim mentioned that he received a call from President Tinubu, urging him to withdraw the case against Governor Aiyedatiwa.
The senator also revealed that Governor Aiyedatiwa had previously attempted to reconcile with him, visiting his residence in Abuja and hotel room in Akure, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
The sudden withdrawal of the case by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has left political observers intrigued, raising questions about the undisclosed factors and influences behind this decision.
It remains to be seen how this development will impact the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State.
