Yemisi Izuora
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun has commented on the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the candidacy of Sen. Ademola Adeleke as the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 2018 gubernatorial elections, describing it as a victory for the state.
The party in a statement issued on Wednesday in Osogbo by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, said that Osun deserved a better personality as governor.
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory had nullified the candidacy of Adeleke as the flag bearer of the PDP in the September 2018 gubernatorial election.
The court, presided over by Justice Othman Musa, made the decision after it ruled that Adeleke failed to prove in court that he graduated from a secondary school as required by Section 177 of the Nigerian constitution.
Adeleke had contested the election against other candidates, including APC’s Adegboyega Oyetola.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Oyetola winner after a rerun election was conducted in the state on Sept. 27.
The statement said the state had produced intellectual giants and exceptionally brilliant businessmen and technocrats, including jurists of international standard.
It said the state “ was too civilised to have a Ademola Adeleke as governor, adding that “fortunately for Osun, we can depend on Nigerian’s jurisprudence to uphold justice at the most critical point.’’
“We hope that the Appeal Court handling Osun governorship dispute will take judicial notice of this judgment that has practically disqualified Ademola Adeleke from the governorship position,”the statement said.