AA 2023 Presidential Election Petition: Yoruba Chieftain Calls for Out-of-Court Settlement

AA 2023 Presidential Election Petition: Yoruba Chieftain Calls for Out-of-Court Settlement

By: Femi Mustapha

A religious leader and a chieftain of the Yoruba Elders’ Union (YEU), Dr. Joshua Foluso Oguntuase, has cited the petition of the Action Alliance (AA) in the Court of Appeal (Presidential Election Petition Court/Tribunal) as one that can have negative effects on Nigerian democracy. Therefore, he urges all parties to settle out of court. He stated this in a statement made available to the media in Kaduna on April 20th, 2023.

Oguntuase explained that the petition is a series of court cases involving the Action Alliance (AA) and INEC, in particular, and the Court has ruled and ordered INEC severally and consistently to do certain things. Hence, this is the cause for the petition.

He stressed that if the court were to rule over its earlier several judgments, it could be very challenging to the court and Nigeria’s democracy. Therefore, it is not prejudicial or sub judice for a volunteer to come into the matter at any stage for out-of-court settlement.

Oguntuase opined that one of the primary objectives of the Yoruba Elders’ Union (YEU) is to defend the interests of the Yoruba race as their leaders. He also noted that the current National Chairman of Action Alliance (AA) is Chief (Dr.) Adekunle Rufai Omo-Aje, as recognized by the Court, and the current President-elect of Nigeria, as announced by INEC, is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Therefore, an average Yoruba leader should seek a proposition of Dispute Resolution Approach (DRA) between Omoaje and Tinubu,” he said.