Patigi 2020: Can the disqualification of Dr. Ya Kpotun stand in the court of law?

Patigi 2020: Can the disqualification of Dr. Ya Kpotun stand in the court of law? 

The Committee responsible for the screening of the State House of Assembly candidates in the last election of the Patigi bye election have disqualified Dr. Mahmud to allow Mr. Rufai who has been enmeshed in a certificate scandal to have the ticket unopposed, thereby conducting no primaries and rather going for an affirmation process.

The reasons given for the disqualification of Dr. Mahmud Zabair, popularly known as "Ya Kpotun" as conveyed to him by a letter signed by the secretary  of the screening committee - Ohalete Wisdom Chinedu, was his failure to attach an endorsement of his declaration of information by a Magistrate or Notary Public, an act the committee said was against the party's general guidelines, rules, and regulations for the nomination of candidates for party primary.

However, the truth of the whole scenario which is untold was that, Dr. Mahmud on realizing that he was supposed to have his declaration of information by a Magistrate or Notary Public, went ahead to have an affidavit sworn even before the date of the screening on the 13th Of February as shown in the attached documents, and he communicated same with the committee and he was asked to bring it on the screening date.

Getting to the venue of the screening, the committee refused him access to submit his sworn affidavit, telling him that things has changed, hence, it is very obvious that there was foul play somewhere, many questions arises now:

1. Why would a committee refuse to accept a sworn affidavit before the commencement of screening?

2. Why didn't the committee communicate the disqualification of the candidate to him before the day of the primary elections?

3. Why didn't the committee or party come out openly to state the reasons for his disqualification as contained in a press release by the Kwara APC P. R. O?

4. Why was the nomination the form accepted from Dr. Mahmud when the committee knew he hasn't fulfilled one (1) of the requirements?

5. Can forgetfulness be equated with forgery or other inconsistencies?

If this matter later turns out to be a legal tussle, I'm quite sure that this unjust disqualification wouldn't hold water in any competent court of law, a bad implication to the APC in Kwara state, an action that may cost the party the seat even after the bye-election. I would suggest that the appropriate authority looks deep into this delicate issue with utmost sincerety because even the opponents of the party aren't sleeping with both eyes closed.

Abdullatyff writes from Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, he can be reached via 09096866485.