OsunDecides: Court to decide on suit seeking Oyetola’s disqualification Thursday

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Thursday to deliver judgment in a suit seeking the disqualification of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the July 16 governorship election.

Justice Ekwo fixed the date on Wednesday after counsel for the parties adopted their processes and presented their arguments in the matter.

The plaintiff in the suit and a chieftain of the APC, Moshood Adeoti, had filed the matter through his legal team led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chiesonu Okpoko.

Adeoti contested against Oyetola in the February 19, 2022 governorship primary of the APC but came distant second while Lasun Yusuff came third.

In the originating summons, he prayed the court to nullify Oyetola’s candidacy on the grounds that the governor contested in the poll as a member of the party’s Caretaker Extraordinary and Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

The plaintiff said the act contravened the provisions of Section 222 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Article 31(iii) of the APC, October 2014 (as amended).

According to him, the second defendant (Oyetola) ought to have resigned his membership of the APC’s CECPC and leave office as an officer of APC at least 30 days prior to the date of the Osun State primary election, to qualify for participation in the said party primary election.

Governor Oyetola is seeking to extend his tenure in office by another four years, having won the last election held in 2018.

The court will deliver judgement on the suit seeking to disqualify him two days to the date set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the election.

Ahead of the poll, the APC held a mega rally in Osogbo to canvass support for its governorship candidate before the deadline for campaigns.

Party leaders at the event held on Tuesday include APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu; Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno, and Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, among others.

APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, as well as the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Kassim Shettima, were also present.

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