2023: PDP says APC has no legally valid candidates
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has no legally valid candidates for the 2023 general elections.
PDP explained that this is because, Yobe state Governor Mai Mala Buni conducted the exercise that led to the emergence of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party in violation of section 183 of the Constitution.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba who briefed newsmen in Abuja, Saturday hinted their campaign will be people-driven and focused on its Presidential candidate, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar’s mission to rescue, rebuild and redirect the nation from the abysmal misrule of the APC.
He said from their consultations across the six geo-political zones of the country, it is clear that Nigerians across the board, irrespective of religion, ethnicity and even political affiliations accept the PDP Presidential Candidate.
He stated: “The APC has become prostrate, handicapped and incapacitated to campaign as it has no legally valid candidate for the 2023 general elections.
“Recall that the PDP had on February 22, 2022 and March 8, 2022 cautioned that with its foisting of an illegal and unconstitutional leadership, the APC has become “legally defunct, structurally crippled and no longer a legitimate and valid vehicle to field candidates for elections under our laws.
“The PDP had cautioned all aspirants in the APC then “not waste their resources, time and energy in the APC as they will be on a journey to nowhere. Today, the chicken has finally come home to roost.
“As you are aware, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday, September 30, 2022 nullified the candidature of Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s in the July 16 2022 Osun State Governorship election on the ground that his nomination was invalid, having been conducted and submitted by Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, in violation of Section 183 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
“For emphasis, Section 183 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) provides that a state governor “shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever”.
“This judgment reaffirms the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the case of Jegede vs INEC that a violation of any provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) particularly as it relates to Section 183 portends grave consequences.
” The import of the September 30, 2022 judgment of the Federal High Court is that every decision made by Governor Mai Mala Buni as Chairman of the APC is null and void as you cannot place something on nothing and expect it to stand.
“Consequently, the Congresses as well as the National Convention which produced APC Excos including the Sen. Adamu Abdullahi-led NWC is void
” In effect, the primaries and Presidential Convention conducted by the Sen. Adamu Abdullahi-led NWC, including the nomination of Sen. Ahmed Bola Tinubu as Presidential Candidate of the APC is invalid, null and void ab-initio.
” In any case, the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nothing to offer to be the architect of the woes, calamities and life-discounting experiences faced by Nigerians in the last seven and half years.
“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu should go home and face the issues of inconsistencies in his educational qualifications, name, ancestry, age as well as corruption allegations”.
