Supreme Court Ruling: Why Mai Mala Buni should step down – Ajulo

An Abuja based legal practitioner, Kayode Ajulo, has asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, to immediately resign from his position.

Ajulo made this known in a statement sent to reporters while reacting to the Supreme Court ruling on the Ondo governorship election.

Naija News had reported that the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the APC and its candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu in a 4-3 judgment on Wednesday.

The minority ruling read by Justice Mary Odili noted that Buni’s position as a sitting Governor and also the national chairman of the APC is strange to the law and is a violation of both the party’s constitution and the 1999 constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

Odili argued that Buni as a sitting governor was wrong to have presided over the process that produced Akeredolu as the candidate of the APC.

According to Ajulo, the ruling party violated the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by allowing Buni, a sitting governor to preside over its affairs.

He said, “Without prejudice to the ratio decidendi of the majority decision of the Court, it is imperative to state prestissimo and very clearly too that with the unanimous position of the apex court that it appears the actions of the APC in permitting a sitting governor as the interim chairman of the party is in violation of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is my sincere view that the Interim Chairman of the All Progressive Congress should immediately step down.

“My humble but cosmic review of the judgment comes with an indication that the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, has to vacate his seat, as the Chairman of APC with immediate effect.

“The provision of Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) is clear and unambiguous to the effect that “The governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever.”