The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that sought to nullify the nomination and participation of former Osun State governor Mr. Gboyega Oyetola and his deputy, Benedict Alabi, in the July 16, 2022 governorship election. Acting on Justice Chima Nweze’s direction, the court ordered PDP lawyer Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN) to withdraw the appeal, finding it without merit.
The PDP had asked the Supreme Court to affirm and reinstate a Federal High Court judgment that had voided Oyetola and Alabi’s candidacies as the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard‑bearers. Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court had ruled that their nomination forms were improperly endorsed by the acting APC chairman and Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, who, the court held, violated Section 183 of the Constitution by holding the dual executive positions of Governor and Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the APC.
Represented by Dr. Abiodun Layonu (SAN), the APC argued that the high court’s decision was perverse and constituted a grave miscarriage of justice. The party appealed the ruling in December of the previous year, and the Court of Appeal set aside the high court judgment, holding that the PDP lacked the requisite locus standi to bring the action and had no legal right to interfere in the internal affairs of another political party. The APC further contended that, under Section 84(14) of the Electoral Act 2022, only an aspirant who participated in the primary election that produced Oyetola and Alabi could challenge the nomination process.
The appellate court’s decision to vacate the high court judgment was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court, thereby confirming Oyetola and Alabi’s participation in the Osun State governorship election.
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