A non-partisan pressure group, the Osun West Peoples Assembly (OWEPA), has declared that Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke is constitutionally qualified to contest for any elective position in the country, saying that the illegal persecution of the Senator by the powers that be could not change the majority votes cast for him during the September 22, 2018 governorship election even as this was affirmed by the recent judgment of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

The group made the statement against the backdrop of the recent arrest of the Principal, Registrar and Bursar of Muslim Grammar School, Ede and the inhuman act exhibited by the Nigeria Police by arresting a nine-month old baby with them.

A statement signed by the National Coordinator of OWEPA, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, said that the Police was chasing shadows on the subject matter by acting the script of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Comrade Sulaiman who strongly condemned the action of the Police for acting the script of the ruling APC in a matter before the court of competent jurisdiction, insisted that the hullabaloo surrounding the subject matter is just political persecution of highest order.

He described the police action as illegal, unconstitutional, undemocratic, ungodly, evil, anathema, and crime against God and humanity, saying that any human persecution could never last in any clime.

Sulaiman added that those in power or authority today should remember that tomorrow will come when they wouldn’t have any power.

The OWEPA coordinator maintained that the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure had laid every matter on the issue to final rest as stipulated in the law of the land, promising to consult the group’s Legal Counsel on how to seek redress for the affected victims of illegal arrest, including the nine-month-old baby.

On the case with Suit No:-FCT/ABJ/CS/462/2019 which was recently filed by some disgruntled elements, he sees the Court Application as just mere judicial tourism and legal academic exercise with abuse of judicial process.

On the allegation of certificate scandal levelled against Senator Ademola Adeleke in the suit, he explained that the West African Examination Council (WAEC) never issued any certificate to Adeleke and Adeleke did not present/tender any certificate at anywhere for electoral purposes, challenging anybody with Adeleke’s certificate to show it to the whole world.

Reacting to the argument on whether Adeleke was qualified to contest for governorship election or not, he stated that in the interest of justice, fair play and equity, the lawmaker is qualified to contest, adding that the said recent Abuja suit filed against the eligibility of Adeleke to contest for the Senate, is needless, unnecessary and effort in futility.

He stressed that Senator Adeleke should be applauded for telling the truth about his educational status and the provision of section 177 of the amended 1999 Constitution had made him qualify for any elective position in the land.

“Law and morality are distinct concepts which affect society differently, but it is law that is guiding the conduct of every action of a citizen in a civilised society like ours and nobody could interchange law with morals in this context,” he noted, adding, “so, in the face of Constitutional Law of Nigeria society, Senator Ademola Adeleke is highly qualified to contest for any elective office in Nigeria.”

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