Osun 2022: Appeal affirms Oyetola, running mate as authentic candidates

The Court of Appeal has upheld the candidacy of Gboyega Oyetola and Benedict Alabi as the governorship candidate and running mate of the All Progressive Congress APC in the Osun State governorship race  on July 16, 2022,.

Adegboyega Oyetola & Anor v. PDP & Ors was the subject of the appeal with the case number CA/ABJ/CV/1099/2022.

The Appeal Court ruled on Friday that the result of a governorship primary was a decision made collectively by a party through its congress and could not be overturned by a constitutional issue or the misconduct of any party officer.

Following, the court upheld that the defects in the letter notwithstanding, forwarding the nomination and sponsorship of Oyetola and his deputy to the Independent National Electoral Commission, the fact that they emerged from a valid primary could not be ruled out.

Thus, the defect of Buni signing the letter conveying the nomination of the appellants cannot be a ground to reject the results of the party’s primary election.

Furthermore, the appellate court questioned Justice Nwite for failing to consider a classical precedent judgment delivered by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Jegede v INEC before arriving at his judgment.

On the immunity of Governor Mai Buni, who submitted the nomination of the appellant to INEC, the court held that Buni could not be sued as the immunity enjoyed by him guaranteed him against civil and criminal suits.

The Court of Appeal also awarded the cost of N200,000 to the appellant.

Earlier, The Peoples Democratic Party had sued Governor Buni and four others challenging the nomination of Oyetola and his running mate as the duly nominated candidates of the APC.

On September 30, 2022, the Federal High Court, Abuja, nullified the nomination of Oyetola and his deputy governorship candidate, Benedict Alabi.

Justice Emeka Nwite agreeing with the submissions of the plaintiff’s counsel had declared as null and void the nomination of Oyetola and Alabi by the APC.

The judgment was predicated on the ground that Governor Buni who submitted their names to INEC violated the provisions of Section 183 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 82 (3) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Going by the ruling, the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja nullifying the nomination of Oyetola and Alabi as the APC candidates in the governorship election has been set aside.

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