As reactions are still trailing the Supreme Court judgment between Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State (APC) and Eyitayo Jegede (PDP), a former Secretary to the Ondo State Government and former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Hon Isaacs Kekemeke has said the caretaker committee chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni, should have resigned after the Wednesday’s ruling to avoid the party walking on landmine.
Kekemeke, who supported the warning of Minister of State for Labour and Productivity Festus Keyamo about possible dangers for the party if Buni conducts the congresses, said the APC should be worried seven Justices of the Supreme Court agreed the party was in violation of the Nigeria Constitution and the party’s constitution.
Kekemeke, who spoke in an interview in Akure, stated pronunciation by the apex court the APC is lawless, was a dangerous signal.
He called for immediate convocation of a committee for conduct of the party’s congresses and national convention.
According to him: “The Supreme Court followed the people and democracy. It affirmed the wish of the people of Ondo State in their large majority. Nigerians did not ask for courtocracy but democracy.
“This decision is welcome because at no time were the votes of Ondo people queried all through the tribunal up to the Supreme Court. What was queried was the violation of the constitution by an official of the party. He is not from this state and he did not vote at the election.
“Our party must cease to be a party of only people in political office. It must be a party that accommodates everyone, those in government and those outside of government.
“It must promote and develop democratic practice. Apart from Buni and the Governors, there are millions of other party men who have capacity to run this party.
“The earlier the party leadership from the President and the Governors act, the better. We should not be known for impunity. Not after our electoral gains have been reversed in a number of cases where elections clearly won were allotted to opposition party punitively by the court for our lawlessness.
“Now is the time for us to follow, observe the provisions of the Nigeria constitution and our own party.
“I am sure our leadership will be sensitive enough to take the requisite required action so that we do not walk on landmines.
“In saner climes, Governor Buni and all those serving in Executive positions and are in the APC Caretaker Committee should have step down for an ad hoc committee or some emergency committee to start immediately the process of a convention with a view to electing officials who will have to adopt or approve decisions taken so that opposition parties or aggrieved members do not wait for us.”
