APC Member Challenging Oyebanji’s Primary Victory Reportedly Beaten, Abducted

 

Key Takeaways

• APC member Abimbola Olawumi was reportedly beaten and abducted by suspected hoodlums on Wednesday after leaving the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
• Sources told The Whistler she went to collect Certified True Copies for her Supreme Court appeal challenging the APC primary that produced Ekiti Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
• As of filing time, her whereabouts were unknown and police reaction was unavailable, while the Court of Appeal earlier dismissed her case and upheld Oyebanji’s candidacy.

An All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Mrs. Abimbola Olawumi, was reportedly abducted by suspected hoodlums on Wednesday shortly after leaving the Court of Appeal in Abuja, where she had gone to obtain Certified True Copies (CTC) of documents connected to her legal challenge over the party’s governorship primary election.

The incident was said to have occurred at about 1:00 p.m., with her whereabouts remaining unknown as of the time of filing this report.

According to The Whistler, sources familiar with the incident said Olawumi had earlier appeared before the Supreme Court in connection with her appeal challenging the APC governorship primary that produced Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, as the party’s candidate.

The sources disclosed that the apex court granted her leave to appear as a litigant in person.

After presenting her arguments and citing relevant authorities, the court reportedly directed her to obtain Certified True Copies of relevant documents from the Court of Appeal before further proceedings in the matter.

The sources alleged that shortly after leaving the Court of Appeal premises on Wednesday, Olawumi was attacked by a group of suspected hoodlums.

She was reportedly beaten before being forced into a black Sport Utility Vehicle, which sped off to an unknown destination.

Her alleged abduction has sparked concerns over her safety, although the motive behind the incident could not immediately be established.

Efforts by the aforementioned platform to obtain an official reaction from the Nigeria Police Force were unsuccessful, as the Federal Capital Territory Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report.

Olawumi has been involved in a prolonged legal dispute over the APC governorship primary that produced Governor Oyebanji as the party’s candidate.

In an earlier judgment, the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed her appeal and affirmed Oyebanji’s candidacy for the forthcoming Ekiti State governorship election.

In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Adebukola Banjoko, the appellate court held that Olawumi’s appeal was incompetent.

The court ruled that her appellant’s brief violated the Court of Appeal Rules because it exceeded the prescribed page limit and was therefore unsupported by competent arguments.

The appellate court also upheld the cross-appeal filed by Governor Oyebanji, ruling that the trial court erred in recognising Olawumi as an aspirant within the meaning of the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022.