Court dismisses suit seeking APC, Oyetola’s disqualification

 

.PSC calls for adherence to rules of engagement

  .Dispatches monitors to 30 LGAs

 .As NSCDC deploys 11,226 officers.

Chigozie Ikpo,  and Jonas Ezieke,Abuja.

 

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday, dismissed a suit seeking to disqualify of the All Progressive Congress APC and Governor Gboyega Oyetola from the Osun State Governorship election slated for  Saturday.

 

Justice Inyang Ekwo while delivering his Verdict dismissed held that the suit there was no cause of action for filling the suit, describing it as an abuse of court process.

 

In an originating summon filled by the plaintiff and Chieftain of APC, Moshood Olalekan Adeoti through his legal team led by Chiesonu Okpoko, SAN, he prayed the court to disqualify Governor Gboyega Oyetola on the he contested the primaries as a member of the party’s Caretaker Extraordinary and Convention Planning Committee.

 

The plaintiff said the act contravened the provisions of Section 222 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Article 31(iii) of the APC, October 2014 (as amended) and as such, his candidacy should be nullified.

 

In the originating summons dated February 22 and filled February 23, the plaintiff listed the APC, Oyetola and Independent National Electoral Commission as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively.

 

Counsel to Oyetola, Olusegun Jolaawo SAN in his argument, told the court that committee Governor Oyetola is a part of as quoted in suit is  APC’s Caretaker Extraordinary and Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) which is an ad-hoc body and not the real APC’s office recognized by the party’s Constitution.

 

Justice Ikwo upheld the counsel’s argument, stating that Adeoti failed woefully by not explore internal mechanism before rushing to court.

 

The Judge held that CECPC is not an office recognized by the APC’S Constitution upon which anybody can be disqualified but a mere ad-hoc body put in place in the absence of the National Executive Committee known to law.

 meanwhile, The Police Service Commission has dispatched Staff Monitors to the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State to monitor the conduct of Police Officers during the state Governorship election holding coming Saturday, July 16th, 2022.

 

The Commission will also be at the Situation Room of the Civil Society Organizations and the Security Control Room at the Police State Command Headquarters in Osogbo, capital of Osun State.

 

The first batch of the Commission’s delegation arrived Osun State on Tuesday, July 12th while the second batch are expected in the various Local Government Areas today Thursday 14th of July 2022.

 

Commission Chairman Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police, urged Police Officers involved in the security of the elections to beat the record set during the recently held Ekiti Governorship election that was widely adjudged to be free and fair.

 

Alhaji Smith called for greater commitment from the Police so that the Osun Election will signpost a bright future for election policing especially as the nation counts down to the 2023 General elections.

 

He advised the Staff of the Commission to strive to also maintain a high level of commitment adding that the Commission will not hesitate to punish any staff found wanting during the national assignment.

 

The Police Officers he admonished, should work professionally   and avoid all partisan tendencies during the elections.

 

The Commission has already released dedicated telephone numbers for interested Nigerians to call to complain of any infraction or commend exemplary conduct of Police Officers during the election. The numbers are: 08055606514; 08033345362; 07037158656

 

The Police Service Commission has the Constitutional responsibility to appoint, promote, dismiss and exercise disciplinary control on all Police Officers with the exception of the Inspector General of Police.

 

The Commission also believes that the success of elections in the country hugely depends on the ability of the Police to maintain law and order during such elections where every Nigerian will have an unhindered opportunity to exercise his or her democratic rights to vote and be voted for and for such votes to count.

 

The Commission according to a statement by its Spokesman Ikechukwu Ani is determined to ensure that this is entrenched in the country through these deliberate efforts to ensure the Police, the lead Agency in Internal security, including election Security, operates within established rules and regulations.

 

 

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Audi, has deployed 11,226 officers for the Osun State election billed for July 16, 2022.

 

Audi stated that the personnel will cover the 3,763 polling units, collation centres, flash points, critical national assets and infrastructure in all the 31 Local Government Areas of Osun State.

 

He said that the deployed officers were drawn from the national headquarters and nine State Commands; Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Kogi and Edo to supply manpower for the election.

 

According to him, the objectives of the Corps in the forthcoming election is to create a secured environment for its successful conduct and enhance the general security in the State before, during and after the election.

 

Audi explained that personnel had attended various workshops on best practices during election.

 

“They have also been acquainted with the provisions of the Electoral Act as regards to Rules of Engagement, hence, must comply with the Corps’ Operational Code, Standard Operating Procedure and above all, display of professionalism and high sense of discipline throughout the election.

 

“This robust operational order has been activated to ensure a hitch free exercise and guide against molestation and intimidation of the electorates by hoodlums or party thugs.

 

“Assistant Commandant General (ACG) Operations, Philip Ayuba, Zonal Commander (Zone J), Fasiu Adeyinka and Commandant Special Duties, Oliver Ugwuja are to serve as field Commanders monitoring each senatorial district of the state,”he said.

 

The NSCDC boss noted that, in readiness for the election, the Corps’ undercover personnel from the National Headquarters have joined their counterparts in Osun State for covert operations to nip any security compromise in the bud.

 

Dr Audi assigned Deputy Commandant General (DCG) in charge of Operations, Dauda Mungadi to oversee the election exercise.

 

According to him, there shall be deployment of the Ant-vandalism Squad, Critical National Asset protection unit and other special forces to all key points in the State to protect them against vandalism, damage or arson.

 

He stressed that a pool of officers shall be drawn from Special Forces, such as Arms Squad Unit, Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear and Explosives Unit (CBRNE), the Special Female Squad, Rapid Response Squad, K9 and SWAT Unit, different from the regular conventional personnel, in order to have a successful execution of the assignment.

 

He reiterated the Corps’s readiness to  partner sister agencies to ensure a hitch-free poll and to guarantee crime-free environment to enable eligible voters exercise their voting rights.

 

He warned all personnel deployed to remain apolitical, stressing that whoever is found perpetrating unethical conduct will certainly face sanctions.