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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
A factional governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Mr Segun Showunmi, has vowed to fight the battle to pick the opposition party’s ticket to the very end.
Showunmi, who was the spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign organisation in 2019, stated this while addressing press a conference on the Appeal Court judgement, in Abuja, on Wednesday.
Showunmi expressed confidence that at the end of the struggle and with the first victory recorded at the Court of Appeal on Monday, he would emerge the authentic candidate of the PDP in Ogun State in the next few weeks.
He said it was necessary to clarify issues, considering the barrage of calls and deep interest of the public in the matter.
Showunmi noted that he was humbled by the number of Nigerians that were interested in the case.
“When the party declared open the sale of forms, it meant anybody who wanted to contest for any position including the presidency, should start buying form. My colleague, Hon Ladi Adebutu, purchased his form on the very first day.
“Ironically, upon buying his form, Hon. Adebutu went to the media– the Television, Newspapers and Online platforms– saying that the Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party bought the form for him.
“I reasoned that if we were to go into a contest that requires us to get adhoc delegates from the Excos in the wards, and follow the rules that will lead to getting the delegates that will put together an electoral college that will elect the party’s candidate, I felt that the constitution of the PDP had been compromised and broken because the fact that they bought a form for a particular candidate shows that there is a bias, and that they have been compromised.
“Secondly, the oath of office of the Excos which include that they will be free, fair and just to all and sundry had also been compromised. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had also been breached relative to how political parties are to organise themselves.
“I, therefore, wrote a letter to the national organ of our party– the National Chairman’s Office, the National Secretary’s Office, the National Organizing Secretary’s Office and the National Legal Adviser’s Office–saying that it is unfair to purchase a contest form for one among several contestants. I offered remedial opportunities alongside my complaint. As a remedy, I recommended that the Excos, which action showed bias should be dissolved or set aside while a fair set of people should be brought on board to superintend the primary election process.
“I gave a number of sound and progressive advice, and I explained that if they failed to do the needful, I would have no alternative but to seek redress in court. Because of their penchant to disregard everything that other people in other civilizations will treat as serious, I wrote the letter and gave them a proof of service from the Federal High Court, Abuja,” he said.
Showunmi said the Court of Appeal had been very thorough in its judgement that declared him the authentic governorship candidate of the PDP in Ogun State,adding that every Nigerian must be able to exercise his/her legal rights within the law.