Ondo Supreme Court ruling, not affecting APC Congresses- Party National Secretary

Nigeria’s governing party, the All Progressives Congress, APC says the Supreme Court ruling on Ondo governorship election has no bearing on the party’s leadership status and its forthcoming Congresses.

The APC National Secretary of Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe said this in a press briefing at the party’s National secretariat in Abuja.

Senator Akpanudoedehe was reacting to claims by some people that the Supreme Court Judgement would affect the APC Congresses scheduled to hold across the country try on 31st July and any other election done under the leadership of the APC National Chairman, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.

This is against the backdrop of Section 183 of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution which states that a sitting Governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever.

In the Supreme Court Judgement that upheld Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s election as Ondo State Governor, the technical point that saved Governor Akeredolu, was that the petitioner, Eyitayo Jegede failed to join APC National Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni in the suit because Jegede was challenging the competence of Governor Buni as a sitting Governor to run the affairs of the APC.

Some people including some Senior advocates of Nigeria have argued that any person affected by the actions of the Buni-led Committee will henceforth not fail to join him in any subsequent case in court including any election matter and any case that may arise from the APC Congresses that are about to hold in a few days. They are of the opinion that the judiciary has given a weapon to people who would be aggrieved by the APC Congresses or decisions made by the Buni led Caretaker Committee.

However, Senator Akpanudoedehe said that the party stands firm on its decision to hold the Congresses.

“We have not conducted the Congresses. Maybe a lot of people have seen that they are in a disadvantaged position in their communities and they want to vent their anger by misinforming the public. All what you are hearing is because of the Congresses. I want to assure them that Congresses will be fair, transparent and I want to advise them to go into their wards and be party men.

“On behalf of the Caretaker Committee, we stand firmly with the National Chairman and we declare our unalloyed loyalty to him and to the president of the federal republic of Nigeria” he said.

Also, the lead council of Governor Akeredolu, Niyi Akintola said no where in the judgement was the office of the APC National Chairman questioned.

“There is no where in the judgment of the majority where the efficacy of the office of our National Chairman was questioned. As a matter of fact, the judgment of the tribunal which said holding elective office and party position does not contravene Section 183 of the constitution still stands. This was upheld by the Court of Appeal and majority decision of the Supreme Court. I do not know why people are attributing so much relevance to the judgment of the minority” Akintola said.

Meanwhile, the leader of an APC group, Progressives Youth Movement, Zahra Mustapha Audu called on the APC National Executive Committee to cancel the Congresses and for the Caretaker Committee to step down.

“We should not rush and go ahead with the Congresses or convention or whatever else is going on. Let us follow the law because our party is not one that will muscle or bribe the judiciary. Do, we should not expect favours from the judiciary if we do not do the needful. So, it is for that reason that we are asking the entire Caretaker Committee to immediately step down and put people that can carry this party forward” she said.

Suzan O