Abayomi Semako Hunye, APC Governorship Aspirant and Former Osun State commissioner, has accused the party of imposing a candidate on its members, ignoring its internal procedures and suspending him without following due process.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday; Hunye who is challenging the party’s governorship process in the Federal High Court, said he was not invited to any meeting where the alleged arrangement was reached and insisted that the court would determine who emerges as the party’s candidate.
“You see, the question is not about threats. You see, I will tell you why that. Number one, somebody is trying to it’s an imposition. They impose a candidate on us, right? There are procedures in the law.”
Hunye said the party’s procedures require aspirants involved in a concession or arrangement to agree to it in writing, but claimed he was excluded from the process. “The law allows, number one, concessions, arrangements, and open ballot. Now, in the concessions and arrangements, it is only those who have purchased funds that become an aspirant. Those who must agree in writing. Well, that’s done. We are not invited. Nobody called me.”
He also challenged the validity of his suspension, saying he only became aware of it recently and had not received any formal letter notifying him of the decision. “I was informed about this situation just last week. Last week on the basis of municipal assembly. I was unaware, just last week. No letter has been written to me. I haven’t received anything.”
Hunye said the party’s constitution or procedure requires a member facing suspension to first be informed in writing of the allegations against him. “Here is the procedure. If you want to suspend anybody, the procedure clearly stated that. Number one, if you have any issues, you are going to send, you must send a letter to him in writing that you have violated this and this and this.”
“Are you getting what I’m saying? Yes. Then he will reply to you. After that reply, then the committee must be settled, where you will be invited to clear himself.”
He said none of those steps were followed in his case and that he only heard from a municipal official that he had supposedly been suspended since April. “All these processes were not followed. I was not informed. I just heard from the person of municipal that I have been suspended since April. Where? Who gave me the letter? I haven’t received any letter.”
Hunye further questioned how the party could have treated him as an active aspirant if, as he was later told, he had already been suspended.
He said he collected his nomination form from the party on April 28, attended screening on May 11 and was cleared to participate.
“I went to the party on April 28th and I picked my nomination for an expression. Are you getting what I’m saying? I paid. On the 11th of May, you invited me for screening. I went for the screening. The screening was done. I was cleared.”
Hunye also maintained that his challenge was not simply about losing the governorship contest. “Basically, I want fairness and justice. I’ve been on this issue for the past 18 years. I’ve been contesting along with the people that I work with.You see, the question is not about threats.”
Hunye said he had remained in court because he believed the party’s governorship process was still subject to judicial determination and that he wanted his supporters to know what was happening. “I am in court and I’m waiting for the verdict of the party. And I need to get my people informed to know exactly what is actually happening.”
He said he would not remain silent while supporters assumed the issue had already been settled. “I wouldn’t just keep quiet and then finally one day they just announce my name, And then the people will be saying they are not aware of it. So I must get the people aware that this is exactly what is happening.”
Hunye also defended his decision to put up campaign posters bearing his name. “Today, quite a number of people are already thinking in their mind that everything has been concluded, and they keep on telling everybody that nothing is there again, that I have been settled, and that impression needs to be corrected, and that is the essence.”
He acknowledged that the posters did not state that he was in court, after being challenged over whether the message could mislead the public into believing he was already the party’s candidate. “I agree with you now that probably we should also include on the posters that I’m in the race and I’m in court.”
Hunye said he believed voters and party members should be informed that the governorship dispute remained before the court.
“But the truth is people must be aware of this.”
He also alleged that he and his supporters had faced harassment in connection with his challenge. “They cannot be harassing me, pulling my chains down, blocking me. Not only they’re harassing me with government agencies here and there. I was invited by the police. They attacked me professionally. They cannot be doing that.”
Hunye further alleged that some of his supporters were maltreated and wounded during the primary process, with some taken to a police station. “I have a lot of evidences. I don’t know whether they will show it here. They maltreated all my people. All in all, most of the ones. They wounded them. They took them to a police station. They took them to airport. They have records there.”
He rejected the suggestion that he belonged to the wrong faction of the APC and cited a previous instance in which party members contested despite the existence of a consensus candidate. “During the time of Ibikunle Amosun we have a consensus candidate too. It was Tupuwe Akilade, who was the consensus candidate.”
Hunye said he and other senior party figures had previously chosen to obtain nomination forms and contest despite disagreement with the consensus process. “I myself, including the President-Governor, Senator Kaka, Ashiru, and Jamila Gwa, we went to go and vote for our form because we did not agree with the process.”
He said his legal challenge was before the Federal High Court and had been ongoing for about three months, although the case had yet to be heard. “Federal High Court, That was about three months ago.”
Asked whether he would consider reconciliation if the party’s preferred candidate reached out to him, Hunye said. “It’s not about reaching out to me. Basically, I want fairness and justice. I’ve been on this issue for the past 18 years. I’ve been contesting along with the people that I work with. I’ve been contesting along with the people that I work with.”
He also said he would continue participating in political activities, including campaigning for President Bola Tinubu. “I’m going to join them. At least I will campaign for the president. It’s not two governors. I’m an astronaut. I’m in court.“
Hunye maintained that he was not claiming to be the confirmed APC governorship candidate, but that the court would determine who ultimately emerges from the disputed process.
“Once we are in court, the court will determine who becomes the candidate, When we are in court, the court will determine who remains in the court. That’s how you have the federal high court.”
He also alleged that the APC’s preferred candidate, Yayi, had previously told him not to contest the governorship race. “When he called me, he told me that I should not contest. He told you not to contest? He told me that nobody should contest with Yayi.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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