Osun Election: Court To Decide Governor Oyetola’s Fate In Disqualification Suit Two Days Before Poll

A Federal High Court in Abuja will deliver its 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 on Thursday, barely two days to the election.
This was mentioned on Wednesday by Justice Inyang Ekwo 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,  one of the aspirants who lost the APC governorship ticket to Governor Oyetola in the party’s primary held on February 19, had filed the matter through his legal team led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chiesonu Okpoko.
Adeoti 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).
He contended that, 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.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that ahead of the poll, the APC held a mega rally in Osogbo to canvas 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, Kashim Shettima, were also present.