Governor Gboyega Oyetola and His Deputy Suffer Another Shock with the nullification of their candidacies atop of loosing the July 16 poll
A Federal High Court on Friday disqualified the Governor of Osun State Gboyega Oyetola and his Deputy Gboyega Alabi.
The court in its ruling, said the duo were not properly nominated as candidates of the All Progressive Congress for the July 16 election noting that nominations under the leadership of the ex-caretaker committee led by Mai Mala Buni was a nullity.
The court accused Buni of violating the provisions of Section 183 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 82(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.
On April 7, 2022, a legal practitioner, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, had commenced a suit between the Peoples Democratic Party vs Mai Buni & 4 Ors at the court challenging the nomination and sponsorship of Oyetola and his deputy as the duly nominated candidates of the All Progressives Congress.
In challenging the competence of the suit, Adegoke contended, amongst other grounds, that the plaintiff did not have the locus to commence the action and that the suit was statute-barred.
Ogunwumiju, who led Muyiwa Atoyebi, SAN, and Ademola Abimbola submitted that the plaintiff rightly commenced the suit under Section 285(14) (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
Justice Emeka Nwite in his ruling, agreed with the submissions of the plaintiff’s counsel and declared as null and void the nomination of Governor Isiaka Oyetola and Benedict Alabi by the APC.
The court also accused Governor Mai Buni of acting 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 the APC.
The court held that the steps or decisions taken by Governor Mai Buni, including forwarding the names of Governor Isiaka Oyetola and Benedict Alabi to INEC, was nothing but a nullity in law.
However, Counsel to the Governor, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), said the team would go on appeal against the ruling.
GOVERNOR REACTS: