The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Cross River State, Julius Udayi, has claimed that a recent judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja on the Osun State PDP governorship candidacy has strengthened the legitimacy of his candidacy in the state NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
Udayi made the claim during a press briefing in Calabar on Friday, where he described himself and other members of his political group as the “valid and authentic” candidates of the PDP in Cross River State.
The Court of Appeal judgment, delivered on Thursday, August 13, according to Udayi, upheld the nomination of Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola as the PDP governorship candidate for the Osun State election.
He said the appellate court held that Adedamola was validly nominated and presented by the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP and consequently directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to include the party’s logo on the ballot for the Osun governorship election.
Udayi argued that the development had implications for the leadership dispute within the PDP in Cross River State, saying he was nominated and presented under the same national leadership structure.
He said, “It is from Turaki-led leadership, which the Court of Appeal has adjudged to be the legitimate-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, that Julius Udayi was nominated and presented as the bona fide governorship candidate for the PDP in Cross River State as well as all other candidates of his team.”
The Cross River PDP governorship candidate said his position followed a statewide consultation and tour of the 18 local government areas, during which, he claimed, his team encountered individuals presenting themselves as candidates of the party.
He said the purpose of the briefing was to clarify what he described as a “wrong narrative” and inform the public and security agencies of his faction’s position on the PDP crisis.
Udayi also urged security agencies in Cross River State to monitor what he described as parallel political activities by members of a rival PDP faction.
He specifically accused the faction associated with Senator Sandy Onoh of continuing to parade its members as PDP candidates in the state, alleging that such activities could threaten the peace.
“We wish to use this medium to call on all the security agents in the state, particularly the Chief Security Officer of the state, to search-light on this reoccurring and continuing parallel political activities,” he said.
Udayi argued that continued activities by rival groups could create conditions capable of triggering a breach of the peace if not addressed proactively.
He maintained that the PDP leadership dispute in Cross River had been resolved and urged members of the public to support what he described as the Tanimu Turaki-led national leadership of the party.
He further warned individuals opposed to the Turaki-led leadership against what he described as allowing themselves to be used for political experimentation in Cross River State.
The statement represents Udayi’s interpretation of the Osun judgment and its implications for the Cross River PDP dispute; the reported Osun decision, by itself, does not establish the legal status of the Cross River nomination unless a competent court or the relevant electoral authorities apply it to the Cross River dispute.
