Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Wednesday sinks the political career of Eyitayo Jegede after the Supreme Court in 4 to 3 Judgment dismissed the appeal filed by Eyitayo Jegede, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the victory of Rotimi Akeredolu in the 2020 Ondo State governorship election.
The Supreme Court in a Majority Judgment stated that it is not in dispute that Governor Buni is the acting chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in breach of section 183 of the constitution.
The appellant had argued that Mai Mala Buni was holding the position of the APC acting national chairman while still in office as a governor.
Unfortunately, Governor Buni was not included as a party to the suit.
The court in a majority judgement held that the governor alleged to have breached the constitution should have been a party in the petition to answer to the allegations.
The court upheld the judgement of the lower court, which held that the petition was incompetent.
However, Justice Mary Odili, in a dissenting judgment, held that the APC submitted the name of Rotimi Akeredolu to INEC through its nomination form signed by Governor Buni, who is a sitting governor.
She argued that “as a governor, the constitution barred Buni from acting in dual capacities as a governor and party executive.”
Also, Justice Ejembi Ekwo, agreeing with the dissenting Judgment, argued that the position of the majority judgment that Governor Buni was not added as a party to the petition is not attainable because when you have the principle you need not add the agent.
Justice Ibrahim Saulawa further adopted the minority Judgment.
Meanwhile, that is the end of the road for Eyitayo Jegede SAN in the Ondo State governorship election. The next opportunity will be the end of the second tenure of Governor Akeredolu of the APC.