Ogun governorship: Showunmi vows to fight PDP’s ticket to logical conclusion
The factional Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State for 2023, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has vowed to fight the litigation for the party’s ticket to the end.
Showunmi made the vow on Wednesday in Abuja while addressing press conference on the ruling of the Court of Appeal on the matter.
Showunmi said that with the first victory at the Court of Appeal, on Monday, he was confidence of emerging the authentic candidate of the PDP in Ogun in the next few weeks.
The former spokesperson to Atiku Abubakar, the 2019 PDP Presidential Candidate election said that for the health of democracy, Nigeria should have passed that stage where imposition of candidates would be the order of the day.
“I went through the right channels right from the beginning even before the primary election, to draw the party’s attention to the anomaly going on in Ogun State.
“I want to put it on record that no one can intimidate me into conceding defeat where I am a winner.
“ I will fight this battle to the end and will be on the ballot. No individual has a monopoly of wealth. Where is even the wealth?
“We must run on ideas. I have a network of family and friends that can easily and comfortably prosecute a governorship election,” he said.
Showunmi explained that when the PDP declared open the sale of its 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 (EXCOs) of the PDP bought the form for him.
“I reasoned that if we were to go into a contest that requires us to get ad hoc delegates from the Excos in the wards and follow the rules that will lead to getting the delegates;
“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 of 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 EXCO which includes 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,” Showunmi said.
He recalled that he petitioned the party national organs stating that it is unfair to purchase a contest form for one, among several contestants.
The organs according to him includes the National Chairman’s Office, the National Secretary’s Office, the National Organizing Secretary’s Office and the National Legal Adviser’s Office.
Showunmi added that in the petition, he also offered remedial opportunities alongside his complaint.
“As a remedy, I recommended that the EXCO, 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 in the court and gave them a proof of service from the Federal High Court, Abuja.”
He said the Court of Appeal had been very thorough in its judgement and had given him victory in that first step, adding that every Nigerian must be able to exercise his legal rights within the law.
The Court of Appeal in a judgement delivered by Chidi Nwaoma Uwa, on Monday, found Showunmi’s appeal meritorious, with regard to two of the issues he raised in the suit against PDP and two others.
Showunmi said the clarification became necessary considering the numerous calls and deep interest of the public in the matter, saying I humbled by the number of Nigerians interested in the case.