Court of Appeal reserves judgment in lawsuit challenging Oyetola's removal as APC candidate
The Abuja Court of Appeal on Friday reserved judgment in two appeals challenging the impeachment of Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola when the All Progressives Congress (APC) was last elected to the post of Governor of the State.
After hearing arguments from attorneys for parties to the appeals on Friday, the three-member panel of the Court of Appeals said a trial date would be communicated to attorneys.
Mr. Oyetola and the APC had filed appeals challenging the September 30 ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja that invalidated his candidacy for the July 16 gubernatorial election in the state.
In the contested judgment of the Federal High Court, the judge, Emeka Nwite, said that the interim APC committee led by Mai Mala Buni which had submitted the names of Mr Oyetola and his candidate for the post of Deputy Governor, Benedict Alabi, at INEC had breached the Nigerian constitution and electoral law.
The judge ruled that Mr. Buni violated the provisions of Article 183 of the constitution when he doubled as Governor of Yobe State and Chairman of the Interim National Committee of the APC.< /p>
The case was brought by the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) against Mr. Buni and four others.
The PDP, through its lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, filed a lawsuit on April 7 challenging the nomination and sponsorship of Messrs. Oyetola and Alabi as duly nominated APC candidates for the recently concluded gubernatorial ballot, in which PDP's Ademola Adeleke was declared the winner by INEC.
ALSO READ: Osun 2022: Court admits BVAS reports, other documents presented by Oyetola, APCContesting the jurisdiction of the prosecution, Kunle Adegoke, who represented Mr. Oyetola, argued that the PDP had no right to bring the action and that the prosecution was barred.
But Mr. Ogunwumiju, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) argued that the Plaintiff (PDP) had rightly brought the suit under Section 285 (14) (c) of the Constitution of the Republic Federal Government of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
In his verdict, Mr. Nwite agreed with Mr. Ogunwumiju's arguments and declared null and void the appointment of Messrs. Oyetola and Alabi by APC.
The court said that the decisions made by Mr. Buni, including the transmission of the names of MM. Oyetola and Alabi at INEC, amounted to a legal nullity.
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The Abuja Court of Appeal on Friday reserved judgment in two appeals challenging the impeachment of Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola when the All Progressives Congress (APC) was last elected to the post of Governor of the State.
After hearing arguments from attorneys for parties to the appeals on Friday, the three-member panel of the Court of Appeals said a trial date would be communicated to attorneys.
Mr. Oyetola and the APC had filed appeals challenging the September 30 ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja that invalidated his candidacy for the July 16 gubernatorial election in the state.
In the contested judgment of the Federal High Court, the judge, Emeka Nwite, said that the interim APC committee led by Mai Mala Buni which had submitted the names of Mr Oyetola and his candidate for the post of Deputy Governor, Benedict Alabi, at INEC had breached the Nigerian constitution and electoral law.
The judge ruled that Mr. Buni violated the provisions of Article 183 of the constitution when he doubled as Governor of Yobe State and Chairman of the Interim National Committee of the APC.< /p>
The case was brought by the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) against Mr. Buni and four others.
The PDP, through its lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, filed a lawsuit on April 7 challenging the nomination and sponsorship of Messrs. Oyetola and Alabi as duly nominated APC candidates for the recently concluded gubernatorial ballot, in which PDP's Ademola Adeleke was declared the winner by INEC.
ALSO READ: Osun 2022: Court admits BVAS reports, other documents presented by Oyetola, APCContesting the jurisdiction of the prosecution, Kunle Adegoke, who represented Mr. Oyetola, argued that the PDP had no right to bring the action and that the prosecution was barred.
But Mr. Ogunwumiju, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) argued that the Plaintiff (PDP) had rightly brought the suit under Section 285 (14) (c) of the Constitution of the Republic Federal Government of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
In his verdict, Mr. Nwite agreed with Mr. Ogunwumiju's arguments and declared null and void the appointment of Messrs. Oyetola and Alabi by APC.
The court said that the decisions made by Mr. Buni, including the transmission of the names of MM. Oyetola and Alabi at INEC, amounted to a legal nullity.
Support the integrity and credibility journalism of PREMIUM TIMES Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can guarantee the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy and a transparent government. For free and continued access to the best investigative journalism in the country, we ask that you consider providing modest support to this noble endeavour. By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you help sustain relevant journalism and keep it free and accessible to everyone.Donate
[embedded content]TEXT ANNOUNCEMENT: Call Willie - +2348098788999
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