Supreme Court Okays Position of Buni as Acting Chairman – APC

• The legality of Buni as the acting chairman of the party has been subjected to different interpretation, which is different from Executive office or paid employment as envisaged by Section 183 of the Constitution.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has claimed that the judgment of the Supreme Court on Ondo Governorship election validate the position of the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni as the Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

The party noted that the ruling clarified the position of Buni as the acting chairman of the Committee as it was not contrary to the provision of Section 183 of the Constitution.

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The legality of Buni as the acting chairman of the party has been subjected to different interpretation, which is different from Executive office or paid employment as envisaged by Section 183 of the Constitution.

Akeredolu secured a slim 4-3 victory over his People’s Democratic Party (PDP) challenger, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) at the Apex Court.

A member of the CECPC, Prof. Tahir Mamman SAN, showed selected newsmen extract of the ruling as they affect the committee.

He pointed out the apex court held “the law is and remain that the provisions that govern sponsorship and nomination of candidates in an election are: Sections 31 and 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended.

“That there is no provision in the Electoral Act prescribing any form for forwarding or submission of the sponsored candidate of a political party in an election.

“Sections 177 and 182 of the CFRN which make provisions for qualifications and disqualification of candidates for Governorship election are exhaustive and leave no room for any addition.

 

“That no other Law/Act can be relied upon to disqualify a candidate in an election save for the provisions of Section 182 of the CFRN.

“That non-compliance with INEC directives (regulations, guidelines or manuals) for the purpose of the election but which is not contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act shall not of itself be ground in an election petition.

“Paragraph 17 (a) of the First Supplementary to Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections cannot be relied upon as ground to question the return of a candidate in an election.

“That sponsorship of a candidate in an election is that of the party and not the individual Officer of the party forwarding the name of the candidate.

“That the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party is empowered to create, elect and appoint Committees (including the instant CECPC) or any other committee it may deem necessary to act in any capacity.

“On the strength of all the above position of the Supreme Court in the instant case and other earlier decided cases cited in support, it is our opinion that the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) headed by Governor Mai Mala Buni is on firm ground to proceed with its mandate as given by the National Executive Committee of the APC.”