Akeredolu Vs Jegede: PDP Faults Supreme Court Verdict, Reveals What It Expected from the Justices
- Nigeria's lead opposition party, PDP, has reacted to the Supreme Court verdict which upheld Akeredolu's victory in Ondo
- The party hailed the minority judgement which favoured its candidate and faulted the majority judgement which was in Akeredolu's favour
- The PDP said it was expecting the apex court to stand up as the conscience of the nation by stopping the alleged impunities being introduced to the politics by the APC
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FCT, Abuja - The Peoples Democratic Party has faulted the majority judgment of the Supreme Court which upheld the victory of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in the October 2020 governorship election in Ondo state.
In a statement released on Wednesday, July 28, by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP insisted that Akeredolu's nomination as the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate was flawed.
Source: Facebook
It stressed that the judgment on Akeredolu’s nomination proved that there was merit in the appeal against his election as governor, Channels TV reported.
The opposition party said it had expected the apex court to stand up as the conscience of the nation by stopping the alleged impunities being entrenched in the political firmament by the ruling APC.
Majority judgement failed to address Buni's impunity
The Supreme Court delivered a 4-3 split judgement in favour of Governor Akeredolu.
While four members of the appeal upheld Akeredolu's victory, the remaining three upheld the appeal of PDP's Eyitayo Jegede that Akeredolu's nomination which was signed by Governor Mai Mala Buni was not valid under Section 183 of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999.
They insisted that Akeredolu’s candidacy in that election is a nullity, adding that it is unconstitutional for Buni, Yobe governor, to also serve as the APC acting chairman at the same time.
The three Supreme Court justices further held the view that the appeal has merit and ought not to be struck out by the appeal court.
In its reaction, the PDP said the majority judgement failed to address the impunity Governor Buni's action by serving as the APC chairman despite being a sitting governor in Yobe.
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Supreme Court verdict: APC may lose power, Keyamo warns
Meanwhile, Festus Keyamo, the minister of state for labour and employment, has allegedly warned the APC of imminent legal tussles if Governor Buni remains the party's caretaker chairman.
The minister advised the party in a leaked memo released on Wednesday, July 28, against going ahead with its planned congresses under Buni's leadership.
Keyamo was reported to have said the “unity” in the party may be short-lived if the party went ahead with the congresses which are scheduled to hold on Saturday, July 31.
Sanwo-Olu congratulates Akeredolu
Meanwhile, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos state governor, has congratulated his Ondo state counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) on the Supreme Court verdict.
Sanwo-Olu's congratulatory message is contained in a statement sent to Legit.ng by his chief press secretary, Gboyega Akosile, on Wednesday, July 28.
He also congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as well as members of the party in Ondo and across the country on the victory.
Source: Legit.ng
