APC ignores Keyamo advice on Supreme Court verdict, goes ahead with congresses

The Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said it would go ahead with its scheduled congresses over the supreme court decision on Ondo gubernatorial poll, saying there is no cause for alarm.

Newsflash Nigeria had reported that on Wednesday, July 28, the apex court affirmed the election of Rotimi Akeredolu as Ondo state governor. Akeredolu won by a narrow-split decision of 4:3 in the seven-man panel of justices.

Eyitayo Jegede, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had queried the validity of Akeredolu’s nomination by the national caretaker committee of the APC headed by Mai Mala Buni, Yobe governor.

The judges ruling read by Justice Mary Odili noted that Buni’s position as a sitting Governor and also the national chairman of the APC is strange to the law and is a violation of both the party’s constitution and the 1999 constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

Odili argued that Buni as a sitting governor was wrong to have presided over the process that produced Akeredolu as the candidate of the APC.

Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, asked the party to sack Buni and anyone holding any executive position on the committee and immediately suspend the planned congresses.

Keyamo said the reason is to avoid legal battles since the competence of Buni to hold the position as chairman has been questioned by the supreme court.

READ ALSO: APC may lose power, congresses under threat as court declares Buni’s chairmanship illegal

Addressing a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, John Akpanudoedehe, National Secretary of the APC caretaker committee, said the Apex court’s verdict on Ondo gubernatorial poll has “no bearing on the CECPC’s status and its membership”.

“The clarification is against the backdrop of personal opinions being expressed by some individuals on the status of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) and its capacity to conduct the Congresses,” Akpanudoedehe said.

“While it is not our intention to join issues with these commentators, the Supreme Court’s Wednesday judgement affirming the Election victory of the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu SAN had no bearing on the CECPC’s status and its membership.

“Party members and aspirants should therefore come out en masse and peacefully to participate in the ward Congresses, come Saturday.”

Judges had the Apex Court had unanimously agreed that it was illegal for Mai Mala Buni to be the governor of Yobe State and also hold an elective position

However, the majority of the judges (4-3) dismissed Jegede’s appeal over failure to had the APC chairman as a defendant in the suit.

Keyamo called on the party to immediately stop all preparation and conduct of congresses nationwide.

He said: “Jegede was challenging the competence of Gov. Mai Mala Buni as a sitting Governor to run the affairs of the APC as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee.

READ ALSO: Supreme Court Judgement: Buhari’s minister, Keyamo wants APC Chairman Buni to sack

“He contends that this is against Section 183 of the 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 other words, had Buni been joined in the suit, the story may have been different today as we would have lost Ondo State to the PDP.

“Therefore, any other person affected by the actions of the Buni-led Committee will henceforth not fail to join him in any subsequent case in court.

“These includes any subsequent election matter in any part of this country and all the APC Congresses that are about to hold. The Supreme Court has just weaponised all those that would be aggrieved by the APC Congresses to proceed to court to challenge the competence of the Buni-led CECPC to organise the congresses and National Convention.

“The judiciary will subsequently destroy the entire structure of the Party from bottom to top.”

Keyamo pointed out that the Supreme Court has just given the APC a useful hint to save the ruling just before the beginning of its Congresses.

According to him, the planned congresses across the country slated for this weekend must immediately be suspended because it will be an exercise in futility.

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