What We Expected Of Supreme Court’s Verdict On Akeredolu’s Election – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted the majority judgment of the Supreme Court on the Ondo State governorship election.

In a statement on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP insisted that the nomination of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu as the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate was flawed.

It stressed that the split judgment by the apex court on Akeredolu’s nomination proved that there was merit in the appeal against his election as governor.

“While our party restates its utmost respect for the institution of the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, the PDP had expected the apex court to stand up as the conscience of our nation by halting the absurdities and impunities being entrenched in the political firmament by the APC,” the statement said.

It added, “The party notes that the majority judgement, as presented by the Supreme Court, did not address the impunity in the action of the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, in functioning as the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) while at the same time holding office as a sitting governor, contrary to the provisions of Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as the constitution of the APC.”

According to the opposition party, the fact that three justices out of the seven-man panel upheld its position on the illegality of Akeredolu’s nomination confirms his candidacy as ‘cancerous’.

It described such an action as a brazen violation of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as the constitution of the ruling party.

The PDP noted that that the judgement of the apex court did not disagree with its position that Mr Buni, as Governor of Yobe State, cannot function as the national chairman of a political party and nominate a candidate for election to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

It explained that the quest for a legal pronouncement that would guide the sanctity of the nation’s electoral system was the reason it explored its point of grievance legally to the highest court in the land, in the interest of the nation and not just because of its candidate, Eyitayo Jegede.

The party, however, urged its members in Ondo and across the country not to allow the development make them lose hope, but to remain calm and law-abiding in the general interest of the nation.