… Asks him to produce proof of INEC’s recognition
The management of foremost Lagos-based television station, Channels Television, has called off the plan to feature a member of the House of Representatives, Ladi Adebutu on its flagship political programme, “Politics Today”.
This followed the Adebutu’s inability to produce a proof that he is the Ogun State PDP governorship candidate known to law and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Adebutu, it was learnt, had called Channels requesting for an interview after the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Dapo Abiodun, was featured on the 30th of December, 2018, where the highlight shown on Channels TV read, “OGUN STATE GOVERNORSHIP RACE…Isiaka, Kashamu, Abiodun, Bankole, Others Eye Seat”.
The fact that Adebutu’s name was not mentioned as one of the candidates – and rightly so since he is not known to INEC and the law – forced him to call Channels TV to mislead it and thereby requested for an interview appointment which was scheduled for 7p.m this Thursday, 3rd January, 2019.
But when the Kashamu/Abati Campaign Organisation got wind of the proposed interview with Adebutu, the organization vide a letter dated 3rd January, 2019 drew the attention of the management of Channels TV to the impropriety of its action as well as the contemptuous implications.
The letter was accompanied by the two letters from INEC dated 12th April, 2018 and 25th October, 2018 in which the commission predicated its decision to recognize and deal with the Engr. Adebayo Dayo-led Ogun State PDP Exco and “to accept, process and publish” the list of candidates endorsed by it.
The letter reads in part, “While we reckon that it is within Channels Television’s right and constitutional duties to feature anyone it desires, such must be done within the ambits of the law and not to promote illegality or disobedience to valid and subsisting court judgments. Adebutu is not the governorship candidate of the PDP in Ogun State and it will be totally erroneous, misleading and contemptuous of valid and subsisting judgments of court as well as the prevailing position of the law. There has not been any contrary correspondence. If our opponents claim otherwise, we challenge them to produce such!”
The Campaign Organisation added, “It is expedient to refer to the findings of the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan in its Judgment at page 12 wherein the Court held as follows; ‘The action instituted at the Lower Court is also not in respect of selection or nomination of candidates to represent the 1st Appellant at an election nor is it a complaint against any election, decision or activity of the INEC (10th Respondent). It is in my view, simply an inter-party dispute between two factions of the party as to which of the factions is the legitimate State Executive of the P.D.P in Ogun State. This appeal is therefore not in respect of a pre-election matter.’
“The findings and decision of the Court of Appeal in the Judgment of 18th December, 2018, clearly shows that the subject of the said appeal was not related to pre-election issues or the selection or nomination of candidates from Ogun State to represent the PDP at the election.
“Therefore, the said appeal and judgment, which do not relate to list of candidates that would represent the Ogun State PDP at the 2019 General Election, the Court of Appeal could not have sacked or pronounced on the issue of list of candidates from Ogun State. What is more, as can be clearly seen on the face of the appeal, Ladi Adebutu is not a party to the appeal. So, how can he claim to be a beneficiary of the judgment of the Court of Appeal?
“It is in the light of the above facts and supporting documents that we urge you to reconsider the plan to feature an impostor who is acting in contempt of valid and subsisting judgments of court. Your reputable media organization should not be used or seen to be encouraging illegality and crass irresponsibility on the part of the political class.”
Based on the superior arguments and convincing documents provided by the Kashamu/Abati Campaign Organisation which Adebutu could not disprove, the Management of the reputable media organization decided to call off the planned interview with Adebutu.
So, his planned appearance on Channels TV’s “Politics Today” at 7p.m. has become more or less a still birth.
