Politics

Osun gov’ship poll: PDP fails to nullify Oyetola’s candidacy

Published

1 year ago

February 2, 2023

By Jeleel Olawale

The Supreme Court has explained why it dismissed an appeal filed by the People’s Democratic Party to nullify the candidacy of the immediate past governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola in the July 16, 2022 governorship election.

A five-member constituted panel, and led by Justice Chima Nweze, on Thursday said the suit was dismissed because it lacks merit and compelled the PDP lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN to withdraw it.

The PDP had prayed to the apex court to affirm and reinstate the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja which nullified the nomination of Oyetola and his deputy, Alabi, as standard bearers of the APC for the governorship election.

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court had voided the participation of Oyetola and Alabi on the ground that their nomination forms were endorsed by an acting chairman of the APC and serving Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.

In the suit marked, “FHC/ABJ/CS/468/2022, the court held that Buni acted in contravention of the provision of Section 183 of the Constitution when he held dual executive positions as the Governor and the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of APC.

“It held that Buni who submitted Oyetola’s name and that of his deputy to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, violated the provisions of Section 183 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 82(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022 and that the decision amounted to a nullity in law.

“Arguing through its team of lawyers led by Dr Abiodun Layonu SAN, APC, that the high court judgment was perverse and occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice against it, the party filed an appeal in December last year at Court of Appeal and obtained an order that set aside the judgment of the high court. The party contended that the PDP lacked the requisite locus standi to institute the action.

“The Appellant further insisted that PDP was bereft of the legal right to dabble in the internal affairs of another political party.

“Among others, the APC argued that according to section 84(14) of the Electoral Act, 2022, only an aspirant that took part in the primary election in which governor Oyetola and his deputy emerged could complain that the selection and nomination of a candidate for an election did not comply with the Act or electoral guidelines of the political party.”

It maintained that section 284 (14) (1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, only allowed a political party to challenge the action of the electoral body INEC, where it failed to comply with the provision of the Act in respect of the nomination of its candidates.

Convinced, the high court judgment was thereafter vacated by the appellate court and subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court.

Politics

BREAKING: Agboola Ajayi wins Ondo PDP primary

Published

10 hours ago

April 25, 2024

NewsDirect

The former deputy governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, has emerged as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the November governorship election.

He polled 264 votes at the party primary, beating his closest rival, a former member of the House of Representatives, Kolade Akinjo, who got 157 votes.

Details shortly.

Politics

We’re ready to conduct free, fair primary election in Ondo — PDP election committee assures guber aspirants

Published

12 hours ago

April 25, 2024

NewsDirect

By Akintunde Jacobs, Akure

The seven-man Primary Election Committee, to conduct the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in Ondo State has assured to conduct a free, fair and transparent primary election to choose its candidate for the November 16 governorship election in the state.

The Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who chaired the seven-man committee, while speaking with journalists at the venue of the exercise on Thursday morning at the International Culture and Events Centre (The Dome), said; “We are in Ondo state for the conduct of the PDP gubernatorial primaries, where we have seven aspirants and you know electoral rules requires that for a candidate to emerge in any party, primaries should be conducted.

“Three forms are provided for in the Electoral Acts 2022, we have the direct, indirect and consensus primaries. But here today, we are adopting the indirect primaries for which we are here. We expect about 627 delegates for the election and we are all set, all members of the panel are here, the accreditation has started. So, we are prepared and the aspirants are in high spirits and they have assured me that they would agree to work together for whoever emerged as the candidate.

“The problem of our party is how to get the power back from the APC that had taken power from us for the past eight years.

“We expect a very transparent, free, fair, credible and rancor free election and I have gotten commitment of all the aspirants that they would abide by the outcome and we are going to make it transparent as possible.

“You may be aware of my record that I was the one that conducted the primaries in Osun state and we won in Osun and I’m here again to conduct the Ondo state primary and by the grace of God, we are going to win because the sun of the last year is still the same of this year, so the rain will fall and the farmers would have good harvest.”

A total of 627 delegates from the 18 Local Government Areas of the state are expected to elect the standard bearer of the party for the November 16, 2024 governorship election after the exercise.

As at the time of filing this report, the accreditation of the delegates has commenced, while voting will follow after.

Politics

Ondo Guber: PDP begins accreditation of 627 delegates as primaries commence

Published

14 hours ago

April 25, 2024

NewsDirect

The accreditation process for 627 delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that will vote during the governorship primaries of the party in Ondo State has begun.

With the indirect mode of primary adopted by the opposition party, the voting process will soon begin immediately after the delegates have undergone accreditation.

The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who is superintending over the exercise, has assured that the process will be transparent.

According to Ewhrudjakpo, the party is poised to takeover power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in order to ensure proper governance in the state.

“We expect about 627 delegates for the election and we are all set. All members of the panel are here, the accreditation has started.

“So, we are prepared and the aspirants are in high spirits and they have assured me that they would agree to work together for whoever emerged as the candidate.

“The problem of our party is how to get the power back from the APC that had taken power from us for the past eight years.

“You may be aware of my record that I was the one that conducted the primaries in Osun State and we won in Osun and I’m here again to conduct the primaries in Ondo State.

“By the grace of God, we are going to win because the sun of the last year is still the same of this year, so the rain will fall and the farmers would have good harvest.”