“The ratification of the Edo APC governorship primaries simply meant the authentication of of illegality allowing the wrongdoer to retain possession of what was illegally obtained without recourse to justice and the rule of law.”
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe Esq, has advised the good people of Edo State, not to waste their precious votes on the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, saying that the circumstances surrounding his emergence was bedevilled by multifaceted illegality.
Oghenesivbe in a statement on Sunday, said the Acting Chairman of the APC recognised by Law at the time Edo governorship primaries was conducted, Mr Victor Giadom had nullified Ize-Iyamu’s candidacy after he was declared winner by the Governor Hope Uzodima’s committee in Edo State, adding that the meeting held later in Aso Rock Villa presided over by Giadom and President Mohammadu Buhari, before the dissolution of Giadom led APC NEC, lacked the legal status and constitutional powers to ratify what was done by an illegal adhoc committee.
He averred that Osagie Ize-Iyamu being a product of illegality as can be seen from the activities of the unauthorised cum illegal adhoc committee that conducted the party’s primaries in Edo State, and without the involvement of the state legitimate Exco led my Barrister Aslem Ojezua; duly completed the cycle of illegality that cannot be validated after the crime of illegality had been committed.
Oghenesivbe further asserted that what the APC national leadership did was to ratify unlawful conduct of Governor Uzodima’s adhoc committee, a stolen property or party ticket which only a court of competent jurisdiction had the powers to determine, adding that it is the law that illegality cannot beget legality in the instant scenario.
“The ratification of the Edo APC governorship primaries simply meant the authentication of of illegality allowing the wrongdoer to retain possession of what was illegally obtained without recourse to justice and the rule of law.
“This sad scenario is suggestive of an indirect or unscrupulous process adopted by APC and Mr President to legitimize obvious illegality in a special way that is repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience.
“Illegality cannot beget legality and no adhoc body has the powers to ratify illegality except the court of law after adjudication and in fairness to all parties.
“The constitution of a party is not superior to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended and it is the law that any other law that is in conflict with the provisions of the constitution of Nigeria, is to that extent null and void, and of no effect.
“The only window opened to correct the illegality was for the APC to conduct another primaries in Edo under the supervision of a duly constituted committee inaugurated by a legitimate NEC of the party. Any other mode of ratification of an illegal process without recourse to justice and the rule of law amounts to fraud in the electioneering process in Edo State.
“As it is today, the APC does not have a legitimate candidate standing for the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State, come September this year,” the statement added.
