The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has nullified the nomination of Governor Adegboyaga Oyetola and his Deputy Governorship candidate, Benedict Alabi as candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last gubernatorial election in Osun State.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through its counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju dragged Governor Mai Mala 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.
Delivering a judgement, Justice Emeka Nwite agreed with the submissions of the plaintiff’s counsel and declared as null and void, the nomination of Oyetola and his deputy.
The court premised its judgement on the ground that Governor Mai Mala Buni who submitted their names to 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.
Justice Nwite also held that Governor Mai Mala Buni acted in contravention of the provision of Section 183 of the Constitution when he held dual executive positions as the Governor of Yobe State and the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of APC.
He further held that the steps or decisions taken by Buni, including forwarding the names of Oyetola and Alabi to INEC, amounted to a nullity in law
In challenging the competence of the suit, Oyetola’s counsel, Kunle Adegoke contended, amongst other grounds that the plaintiff did not have the locus to commence the action and that the suit was statute-barred.
But the plaintiff counsel argued that suit rightly commenced under Section 285(14) (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
