Ondo election: Who wants Akeredolu out?

Ondo State’s Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu may have been the beneficiary of last week’s Court of Appeal judgment on the governorship election. But, the court ruling has equally provided grounds that could be exploited to remove the Ondo State governor at the Supreme Court. Correspondent OSAGIE OTABOR evaluates the judgment and the allegation that some chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are conniving with members of the opposition to undermine the party’s interest

 

The Ondo governorship election has been won and lost. In fact, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the election last October with a wide margin by garnering 292,830 votes, against his closest challenger, Eyitayo Jegedeof the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 195,791. Their Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) counterpart, Agboola Ajayi came a distant third in the contest, with 69,127 votes.

But, last week’s Court of Appeal judgment in Akure, the Ondo State capital may have provided a glimmer of hope for the candidate of the PDP that the Supreme Court may upturn the decision, which was still largely in favour of the governor and APC candidate. This s because the verdict of the court in the appeal brought by candidate of the PDP against the ruling of the lower Tribunal has raised fears of some supporters of the APC that the alleged plot to remove Governor Akeredolu through the court might not be a rumour.

The appeal was dismissed but the lead judgment read by Justice Theresa Orji-Abadua partly granted Jegede’s appeal on issue one, two, four and five, but dismissed the appeal on issue three, six and seven.

Other members of the panel, Justice H.A Barka, Justice J.G Abundaga, Justice AndenyangtsoAlli, dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.

Justice Orji-Abadua in her final speech said the Electoral Act does not have the power to override provisions of the Nigeria Constitution with regard to qualification or disqualification of a candidate in an election. She declared: “The appeal is partly allowed and partly dismissed. The appellant case is dismissed.”

The candidate of the ZLP had declined to file any petition, but Jegede in his petition alleged that the exercise was marred by “irregularities, violence and intimidation of eligible voters”. The PDP candidate also said the nomination of Akeredolu and his running mate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, by the APC, was unconstitutional. He said Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, who signed the nomination form is illegally occupying the seat of the APC national chairman. Based on that, he asked the tribunal to nullify the victory of Akeredolu and declare him the winner of the election.

In his defence, Akeredolu, through his Counsel, Akin Olujimi urged the tribunal to dismiss Jegede’s petition for lack of merit.

Jegede, however, did not call any of the 380 witnesses listed in the petition to testify on allegations of “irregularities, violence and intimidation of eligible voters”. It appears as if his petition was hinged solely on claims that Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa were not validly nominated as governorship and deputy governorship candidates of their party.

The tribunal, in its judgment, held that Jegede’s petition lacked merit and that it does not have jurisdiction over the issues of the party’s nomination as raised in the petition.

Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Abubakar Umar said: “Issues raised therein in this petition are settled issues of internal affairs and management of a political party which this Tribunal has no jurisdiction.”

Justice Abubakar also held that Akeredolu and his deputy were duly nominated and sponsored by the APC in line with Section 177 of the constitution and Section 31 of the Electoral Act and pointed out that the evidence of submission of their names to INEC at the instance of the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) was not disputed by the petitioners.

The tribunal chairman pointed out that Buni’s membership of the APC was not disputed by the petitioners and that the panel could not determine whether the Yobe State governor was illegally occupying the seat of the APC chairman or not. Aside from that, the tribunal held that the non-joinder of Buni as the APC National Caretaker chairman rendered the case of the petitioners defective.

But, Jegede and the PDP have expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling of the court by expressing the desire to challenge the decision at the Supreme Court. In a press statement, the spokesman of the Ondo PDP, Kennedy Peretei, said the Supreme court would help to conclude the judgment.

The statement said: “In concluding her lead judgement, Hon. Justice Theresa Orji-Abadua said the Appeal was partially dismissed and partially allowed. To the ordinary man on the street, the judgment was ‘inconclusive’. The kernel of the Eyitayo Jegede/PDP petition was whether or not a gross violation of the 1999 Constitution (as Amended) should be allowed to stay. Whether or not Mai Mala Buni, as a sitting Governor of Yobe State can double as National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, to sign the nomination of Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) for the governorship election.

“While the Court of Appeal acknowledged that it was a violation of the constitution, it still went ahead to dismiss the appeal. We are still studying the details of the judgment, by virtue of the fact that it was delivered via Zoom. But we have sufficient grounds to appeal the decision of the court. We are confident the Supreme Court which is the highest court in the land will do justice.”

Some Ondo APC chieftains who spoke said the judgment of the Appeal Court exposed scheming of what they termed ‘unconnected forces’ waiting in the wings to benefit from their expected outcome of the legal battle. Those named as hoping to benefit from the nullification of Akeredolu’s election include not just the PDP candidate but also that of the ZLP and its National Leader, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.

The calculation, according to sources, is that if the APC candidate is disqualified, as was the case in Zamfara and Rivers State, the next candidate that meets the criteria may be declared a winner. In the event that no candidate meets that requirement, a rerun poll that would be mainly between the PDP and the ZLP would be the next option.

The APC chieftains would not be happy to see Agboola reap from their party’s misfortune. He was Akeredolu’s deputy prior to the electioneering campaign. He resigned from the APC and joined the PDP just before the election. But, he equally left the PDP for the ZLP after he lost the party’s ticket to Jegede. He was fingered as working for the nullification of Akeredolu’s victory and a declaration that the INEC should conduct another election. He was also alleged to have reached out to some powerful bloc in Abuja who are not favourably disposed to Akeredolu’s positions on certain national issues, especially open grazing and the creation of the Amotekun Corps.

The source said: “Agboola is still nursing the hope of dislodging his former boss from power. He has been in Abuja trying to get a favourable outcome from the legal battle between Jegede and Akeredolu. His wish is the nullification of Akeredolu’s re-election and a declaration that another election be conducted in which the governor would not be allowed to participate.

Read Also: Ondo election: PDP, Akeredolu clash over pending Supreme Court verdict

 

“Agboola has been meeting with some APC leaders from the northern part of the country with a view to shoving Akeredolu off the governorship seat. These northern leaders are those who are not comfortable with Governor Akeredolu’s strong views on some national issues. The bait Agboola is dangling is the promise of his return to the APC if the party can back him in case Akeredolu’s re-election is nullified and a fresh poll declared in which the governor will not be allowed to contest.”

Mimiko would also be happy to benefit from any negative judgment at the Supreme Court against Akeredolu. With the outcome of last year’s governorship election, his influence in Ondo politics has waned considerably, owing to the poor performance of his party. Besides, in 2019, he could not also realise his senatorial ambition under the ZLP.

Last month, there were insinuations that Mimiko planned to dump the ZLP for the ruling APC. There were reports that he held series of meetings in Abuja with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami. He was also reported to have he met with Buni and two other APC governors. The meetings were reportedly held to prepare the ground for his defection to the ruling party.

A top chieftain of the Ondo APC explained the situation thus: “Part of the reasons the APC leadership wanted Mimiko to join the party is because they feel Akeredolu is opposing the Federal Government on some national issues. From the look of things, our man (Aketi) appears not to be on same page with the authorities at Aso Rock Villa, owing to his recent stance on certain national issues. So, we are working hard to ensure that the former governor joins us because we cannot afford to toy with any state in the Southwest.”

But, Mimiko, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, John Paul Akinduro, denied the defection plot and described it as “fake news”. He said his major concern was to fashion out a workable solution for the current situation in the country, especially through the plank of restructuring. The statement said: “Dr. Mimiko has been in Abuja in the past one week or so to attend some events, including the meeting of some NGOs with ethnic-nationality leaders, all hinged on heartfelt concern for the deepening insecurity in the land and how to fashion out workable solutions, especially through the plank of restructuring.

He, within the days of his stay in Abuja, actively participated in the programme tagged ‘Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Transition Inter-Ethnic Peace Dialogue,’ held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, and the 71st Birthday Celebration and Book Presentation of his party stalwart and friend, Honourable Iranola Joseph Akinlaja, held at the ShehuYar’Adua Centre, on Tuesday, June 1.

“It is noteworthy that at Hon Akinlaja’s book presentation, Dr Mimiko harped on the theme of security, by advising the president on the centrality of the security challenge to his legacy. He also had many informal meetings with Nigerians across the ethnic, religious and political divide, on the need to find lasting, just and fair solutions to the orgy of violence and bloodletting across the country.

“Nowhere was any mention made or discussion held on any possible defection to any party. Dr. Mimiko remains in the Zenith Labour Party and his hope has been a collaboration of left-leaning political groups to offer a real ideologically driven alternative in the nation’s political process.”

A university don, Dr Oladele Akinkunmi said Mimiko was not a politician who sits on the fence. His words: “You always know Mimiko’s position on any issue. He is not someone who runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds. Jegede’s legal battle may be seen as against Akeredolu. But, it is more against the ruling party. Jegede and the PDP are not saying the incumbent governor did not win the election. What they are trying to benefit from is that Buni, being a state governor should not have signed the nomination form of Akeredolu and his deputy, Aiyedatiwa, as the National Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC. They are arguing that it is unconstitutional for Bunu to be governor of Yobe State and the APC Caretaker Committee Chairman at the same time.

“If eventually, the case does not favour Akeredolu, the APC would be the bigger victim. All the decisions taken by the Buni committee would become null and void. That would increase the misfortunes of the party. So, it will amount to foolishness if any leader of the ruling party is conspiring with those who are not members to ease Akeredolu out because of his positions on national issues. The party should sanction such a leader.

“That Akeredolu is fighting insecurity in his state does not mean he is against Aso Rock. He should even be commended for what he has achieved in his state in terms of security. I am bold to say that President Buhari has done very well in some areas, but the growing insecurity in the country has blinded a lot of people to the good aspects of his government.

“So, if a governor is doing well in tackling insecurity, he should be praised instead of conspiring with enemies of the party who are posing as friends to dislodge him.”