Skip to main content

Governor Buni-led APC Committee Vows To Hold Congresses Despite Supreme Court Verdict

Keyamo said the reason was to avoid legal battles, since the competence of Buni to hold the position as chairman had been questioned by the Supreme Court.

The Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said there is no cause for alarm over the Supreme Court’s decision on the Ondo State gubernatorial poll.

The apex court had on Wednesday affirmed the election of Rotimi Akeredolu as the Ondo State Governor.

Image

Akeredolu had 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 Buni.

Few hours after the judgement, Festus Keyamo, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, asked the party to sack the Yobe State governor and anyone holding any executive position on the committee and immediately suspend the planned congresses.

Keyamo said the reason was to avoid legal battles, since the competence of Buni to hold the position as chairman had been questioned by the Supreme Court.

Reacting in a statement, John Akpanudoedehe, National Secretary of the APC caretaker committee, said the apex court’s verdict HAD no bearing on the CECPC’s status and its membership.

The statement reads, “The All Progressives Congress (APC) Ward Congresses to elect party executives will hold across the country on Saturday, July 31, 2021 as scheduled.

“To this end, ward Congress Committees of the Party have already been inaugurated and delegated with the responsibility of conducting, supervising, monitoring the scheduled Ward Congresses.

“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.

“While it is not our intention to join issues with these commentators, the Supreme Court's Wednesday judgment 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.”

Topics
Politics