PDP loses bid to void Oyetola’s candidacy

The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal filed by the People’s Democratic Party seeking the nomination and participation of former governor of Osun State, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, and his deputy, Benedict Alabi, in the election for governor that will be held on July 16 in the state was held to be null and void. , 2022.

After PDP lawyer Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN) ordered the appeal to be withdrawn, the apex court headed by Judge Chima Nweze rejected it on Thursday as unfounded.

The PDP had requested the Supreme Court to uphold and reinstate the judgment of the Federal Supreme Court in Abuja that invalidated the nomination of Oyetola and his deputy, Alabi, as APC standard bearers for the election of the governorship.

Federal Supreme Court Judge Emeka Nwite had invalidated the participation of Oyetola and Alabi on the grounds that their nomination forms had been approved by acting APC chairman and serving governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.

In the lawsuit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/468/2022, the court found that Buni acted in violation of the provision of Article 183 of the Constitution when he held dual executive positions as governor and chairman of APC’s National Caretaker Committee.

The APC, through its team of lawyers led by Dr Abiodun Layonu (SAN), argued that the Supreme Court ruling was perverse and led to a serious miscarriage of justice against it.

The party appealed to the Court of Appeal in December last year and obtained an order to overturn the Supreme Court’s verdict. The party argued that the PDP did not have the legal standing required to bring the action. Appellant further maintained that PDP had no legal right to interfere in the internal affairs of another political party.

Among other things, the APC argued that under Section 84(14) of the 2022 Elections Act, only an aspirant who participated in the primaries in which Oyetola and his deputy stood could complain that the selection and nomination of a candidate for an election did not comply with the law or the election guidelines of the political party.

Convinced, the Supreme Court verdict was thereafter vacated by the Court of Appeal and then upheld by the Supreme Court.