The special panel hearing the Ondo state PDP election appeal have disqualified themselves from the case following allegations of bribery leveled against the panel by the Chairman of PDP in Ondo State, Mr Biyi Poroye.
Chairman of the Panel, Justice Hannatu Sankey explained at the resumed hearing of the appeal that the chairman of PDP, Mr Biyi Poroye made the accusation in a petition addressed to the President of the Court of Appeal.
The three-man special panel was hearing the application for the leave of the court to appeal the judgment of a Federal High Court which enabled INEC to substitute the name of Mr Eyitayo Jegede with that of Jimoh Ibrahim
The accusation temporarily stalled hearing of the appeal filed by Eyitayo Jegede against Biyi Poroye and 10 others as the panel took a break to decide whether to continue hearing the case.
After the break, Chairman of the Panel, Justice Hannatu Sankey disclosed that the panel would discontinue its involvement in the case.
She added that all files connected to the Ondo State governorship appeal would be returned to the President of the Court of Appeal for reassignment.
The Markafi faction of the PDP had declared the immediate past Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo state, Eyitayo Jegede, as winner of the PDP governorship primary election in the state.
Mr. Eyitayo emerged the winner of the party’s primary by polling 760 votes to defeat the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the PDP in the 2012 governorship election.
However, the Ali-Modu Sheriff’s faction of the PDP picked governorship aspirant, Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, as its candidate in the forthcoming poll.
Dr Ibrahim recorded 502 votes to win the election with his opponent, Mr Olusola Ebiseni, having 41 votes while 17 votes were invalid.