Estimated reading time: 13 minute(s)
Quadri Yahya
Claim:
Some media platforms published a news report that Segun Showunmi, a governorship aspirant in the People’s Democratic Party in Ogun State has been affirmed as the candidate of the party.
Many of the media outlets (Not PLATFORM TIMES) stated that a Court of Appeal ruling affirmed the PDP aspirant, Showunmi as the candidate of the party.
Verdict:
The media reports that stated that Segun Showunmi, a governorship aspirant in the People’s Democratic Party in Ogun State has been affirmed as the candidate of the party is MISLEADING.
Full Text:
On August 15, 2022, a news report was circulating on some media platforms claiming that Segun Showunmi, a governorship aspirant in the People’s Democratic Party has been affirmed as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in Ogun State.
The news story was reported by Vanguard, New Telegraph, Independent among some other local online media.
It was also reportedly televised by some well-known media organizations such as; Arise TV, TV Continental, and Galaxy among others.
The Vanguard report headline reads:
Ogun PDP gov’ship: Showunmi wins at Appeal Court
An excerpt from the Vanguard report:
According to the lawyers, the implication of the ruling in the suit filed by Showunmi against the party, Ladi Adebutu and co, is that Showunmi remains the candidate of the main opposition party in Ogun State unless otherwise ruled.
A local online media headlined the news report thus:
Segun Showumi Floors Ladi Adebutu at Appeal Court Over Ogun PDP Governorship Ticket
One of the reports was shared on a news platform WhatsApp group where many people shared rebutting views about the news report.
The court case is among Showunmi, the PDP, the declared candidate, Hon. Ladi Adebutu and one other.
It would be recalled that there has been a crisis in the PDP following the party’s primary election which produced two candidates, Showunmi and Adebutu.
Verification:
To verify the claim, PLATFORM TIMES thoroughly read through the news reports in circulation. It was observed that all headlines flying around suggested Showunmi as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state .
PLATFORM TIMES also observed that all the reports have a similar structure and relied on an interpretation of a lawyer.
The Appeal Court judegement (document) signed by Chidi Nwaoma Uwa, Justice, Court of Appeal, obtained by PLATFORM TIMES, stated that the court allowed the Ogun State High Court the jurisdiction to hear the case which was earlier strucked out.
When PLATFORM TIMES put a call through to the Publicity Secretary of the Ogun PDP, Asiwaju Bankole Akinloye, he said the claim is false, adding that willing media were manipulated.
He, however, told PLATFORM TIMES that media should reach out to key leaders of the Party to get credible information about the proceedings.
He said, “Just in case of next time, to avoid misinformation, it is better the media talk to me as the spokesperson of the party or talk directly to the state chairman of the party or the Secretary.
“What Segun Showunmi caused in the last two days was made possible by the media practitioners.
“It’s the media that deliberately or mischievously manipulated what the court said and it’s not good for the credibility of the profession”, the spokesperson said.
Also, Ogun PDP State Secretary, Dr Sunday Solarin while appearing on a show on AriseTV, debunked the viral report, describing it as false.
Also in a statement made available to PLATFORM TIMES, Afolabi Orekoya, Director of Media, Ladi Adebutu Campaign Organisation debunked the media report, saying the news report is “a wrong interpretation of Appeal Court ruling”, adding that “no ruling on party candidacy”.
The statement reads in part, “The appeal court only sat on whether the State high court has jurisdiction to hear his suit or not.
“Therefore, the purported report on some media platforms that the appeal court affirmed Sowunmi as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party was fake and complete departure from the appeal court ruling.”
Showunmi in his earlier post on his Facebook page had claimed victory over the re hearing order given to the lower court .
Conclusion:
As the case was still in court at the time of filing this report, the most recent ruling by the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja was that the High Court of Ogun State has the jurisdiction to hear the case which had earlier been struck.
It’s also noteworthy to state that the case has to do with the alleged purchase of nomination form by the PDP executive in the State for the Party’s candidate, Hon. Adebutu.
It could be deduced also that Showunmi’s prayers before the court is to dissolve the entire executive committee of the Party.
Hence, PLATFORM TIMES can conclude that the media reports claiming that the Court of Appeal has affirmed Segun Showunmi as the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Ogun State is MISLEADING.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
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