APC criticizes Obasanjo over comment on Osun poll

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has
criticised former President Olusegun Obasanjo for describing last
year’s governorship election in the state as unfair when the
election is still a subject of litigation before an election
tribunal.

The Osun APC was reacting to a part of Obasanjo’s statement,
titled, ‘Points for concern and action,’ wherein the former
President used the Osun election to illustrate his claim that the
Independent National Electoral Commission might allow the coming
presidential election to be manipulated in favour of President
Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

In a statement on Monday by its Director of Publicity, Research
and Strategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomi, the Osun APC warned Obasanjo to
respect the rule of law and keep his opinion to himself as the
matter was still in court.

The statement reads, “It is a pity that our respected former
President is using the privilege of his position to express an
opinion that is sub judice to a case that is already before the
election petition tribunal and is currently being litigated.

“His comment on the Osun governorship election is a matter that
should be left to the court to decide.

“Expressing an opinion on it at this stage is not only unlawful;
it is a glaring disrespect for the rule and process of the law.

“We advise Chief Obasanjo to limit his comment on a matter that
is sub judice; otherwise, he would be laying a precedent that would
be unhelpful to the rule of law.”

The party said Obasanjo lacked the competence to make
pronouncement on the validity or otherwise of the Osun
election.

It said, “Under our electoral law and the provisions of our
constitution, INEC has the responsibility to conduct elections in
the country and it is also empowered to declare an election valid
or invalid if there are sufficient lawful reasons to do so.

“Osun’s case is not the first such instance of invalidation of a
particular election which is deemed to be inconsistent with the
laws of the federation as stipulated by the constitution and the
electoral law.”