APC criticizes Obasanjo over comment on Osun poll

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.”]]>