Osun Gov Poll: APC appeals judgement nullifying Oyetola’s candidacy

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has approached the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja to set aside the judgement that nullified the nomination of Governor Isiaka Oyetola of Osun state and his Deputy, Benedict Alabi, as its candidates in the gubernatorial election held in the state on July 16.

APC, in the notice of appeal it filed through its team of lawyers led by Dr. Abiodun Layonu, SAN, maintained that the judgement which was delivered by the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, was not only perverse, but occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice against it.

It noted that the suit that led to the judgement was brought before the court by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which it said lacked the requisite locus standi to institute the action.

APC contended that going by the provision of section 84(14) of the Electoral Act, 2022, only an aspirant that participated in the primary election that produced Governor Oyetola and his deputy, could complain that either the Act or electoral guidelines of the political party, was not complied with in the selection or nomination of a candidate for an election.

It maintained that section 284 (14) (1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, only empowered a political party to challenge the action of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, where the commission failed to comply with the provision of the Act in respect of nomination of its candidates.

The Appellant insisted that PDP was bereft of the legal right to query issues that relate to the internal affair of another political party. Consequently, APC, urged the appellate court to set aside the judgment and restore Oyetola and Alabi as bonafide candidates in the governorship contest.

(Vanguard)