The Supreme Court has affirmed that Osun State governor-elect Ademola Adeleke is the winner of the People’s Democratic Party’s primary election which was held in March.

The court further held that Mr Adeleke was the authentic candidate of the PDP in the July 16 governorship election. 

In a ruling that will put the legal battle that has lasted months to rest, a five-man panel of justices denied the appeal of Dotun Babayemi, who claimed to have emerged as the flag bearer of the party in a parallel primary election held by a faction of the party in the state.

The appeal was dismissed on grounds of incompetence as it was filed outside the 14 days period provided by the law. 

The Osogbo Division of the Federal High Court and the Appeal Court had initially bounced Mr Babayemi’s application, ruling that the parallel primary election which produced his candidacy his null and void. 

Mr Adeleke’s victory is still being challenged by the APC candidate and Osun State governor Gboyega Oyetola at the Governorship Election Tribunal.