The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had nullified the nomination of Governor Isiaka Oyetola and his Deputy Governorship candidate, Benedict Alabi as candidate of APC in the just recently concluded Osun gubernatorial election.
The former APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mai Mala Buni, submitted their names to the Independent National Electoral Commission, which violated the provisions of Section 183 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 82(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 following the courts’ judgment.
In its judgment under Justice Emeka Nwite who agreed with the submissions of the plaintiff’s counsel and declared as null and void the nomination of Oyetola and Alabi by the APC. The court also held that Governor Buni violated the provision of sections of the Constitution because he held dual executive positions as the Governor of Yobe State and as well, the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of APC.
The Peoples Democratic Party through its counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), had in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/468/2022, dragged Buni and four others before the court, challenging the nomination and sponsorship of Governor Oyetola and his deputy as the duly nominated candidates of the APC.
Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Ismail Omipidan, assured Oyetola’s supporters to remain calm in the face of the decision of a Federal High Court that nullified his candidature in the July 16 governorship poll with his statement , “For the records, the position of the law is that only members of the APC who participated in the primary election can approach the court to challenge the nomination of Oyetola as the candidate of the party.”“All these are part of the antics of the opposition PDP and some of their collaborators from within to distract us. But like every one of their plans, this too has fallen flat on their faces.”
Oyetola and Alabi had contested the July 16 governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
Add comment