The Federal High Court, Ibadan on Friday struck out the case filed by the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, against the All Progressives Congress, APC.
In the suit, Shittu accused the party of illegality by disqualifying him in the primaries for the governorship ticket in Oyo State because he did not submit his discharge certificate of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.
That was because Shittu did not observe the normal one year national service.
He argued that the constitution did not make the provision of the certificate a pre-requisite for vying for governorship election, hence it could not be a reason for screening him out.
According to him, the requirement was a Senior Secondary School Certificate, which he had presented.
But in his ruling on Friday, Justice P.I. Ajoku said the case was struck out because Shittu did not file it within the time stipulated by law.
Ajoku ruled: “I must first consider the provision of Section 285 of the constitution that makes it mandatory for all pre-election matters to be filed within 14 days of occurrence.
“This particular case was not filed within 14 days, but outside the date.
“Therefore, I will not bother going into the merit of the case.
“Haven failed to satisfy the dictates of the constitution, the matter is hereby, struck out.”
