Remain calm on the Federal High Court decision over Osun governorship primary, Famodun assures APC members*
The Chairman of the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Gboyega Famodun has enjoined all the members of the party and supporters to put their minds at rest over the Federal High Court, Abuja, decision which yesterday nullified the nomination of Governor Gboyega Oyetola as the candidate of the party in the 16th July governorship election.
Justice Emeka Nwite on Friday ruled in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the submission of the names of Oyetola and his running mate, Mr Benedict Alabi to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was a violation of the provisions of Section 183 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 82(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.
The court also held that the then Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the APC, Governor Mai Mala Buni acted in contravention of the provisions of Section 183 of the Constitution when combined the party leadership with his executive position as the Governor of Yobe State.
In a statement issued in Osogbo on Friday night by his Media Adviser, Chief Kola Olabisi, Famodun argued that the litigation was a mere distractive ploy by the opposition PDP to disorganise and put the party in disarray because “its handlers were aware of the brighter chance of the APC and its candidate in the ongoing governorship election petition tribunal in Osogbo”.
Famodun stated that it was strange that the case was instituted by the PDP, claiming that there is an avalanche of decisions up to the Supreme Court that are not in agreement with the latest decision.
The state APC chairman, who appealled to members and supporters to remain calm, explained that the team of the party lawyers would be challenging the decision at the Court of Appeal with a conviction that the decision would be upturned.
He explained that the position of the law is that only the members of the APC who participated in the primary election have the legal authority to challenge the nomination of the candidate of the party.
Famodun, who reiterated the confidence of his party in the ongoing governorship election petition tribunal to get justice in the case, believed that the Court of Appeal would set aside Friday’s decision of the Federal High Court.
He further said that the latest development was the handiwork of the opposition within the APC, and the PDP “who are playing a futile game of distraction of our members”.
Famodun vowed that the Osun State APC and its candidate, Oyetola are unshakeable with “this antic aimed at unsettlling our members which has fallen flat”.
The Osun State APC chairman disclosed that nothing could stand on the way of the party from pursuing the litigated governorship matter to a logical conclusion with a view to securing justice for Oyetola.
“The Osun PDP handlers and their collaborators are apparently jittery because of the iron-cast evidence before the tribunal on why Oyetola should be declared the winner of the16th July 2022 governorship election.
“That’s why the PDP handlers and their co-travellers are looking for all available means to constitute a clog on the path of justice.
“Unfortunately for the PDP and the enemies within, the antic shall be an exercise in futility”, the state APC chairman said.
Oyetola’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Ismail Omipidan also appealed to supporters of the governor to remain calm in the face of the decision of a Federal High Court verdict.
He noted that the team of lawyers would be challenging the decision at the Appeal Court, just as he expressed confidence that the decision would be set aside.
Omipidan noted that the case was instituted by the PDP, in spite of the fact there is a plethora of decisions flowing from the apex court that frowns upon such an action.
For the records, he said, “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 of their plans, this too has fallen flat on their faces.
“They want to distract us from the tribunal case. But we shall remain focused until we take back our mandate. We have confidence in the tribunal to do justice in the case before it, just as we have implicit confidence in the Appeal Court to set aside this latest decision of the Federal High Court”.
