P…As Oyetola Heads to Appeal Court  

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Uche Secondus, has congratulated the party’s Gubernatorial Candidate for Osun, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, for his victory at the election tribunal.

Secondus, in a statement issued by his Media Aide, Mr Ike Abonyi, said that the judiciary should be hailed for standing up for the truth by declaring Adeleke winner of the Sept. 22, 2018 governorship elections in Osun.

He said that the Osun Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, by its landmark ruling, had helped to restore hope to Nigerians that all stolen mandates shall be recovered and retuned intact to the rightful winners.

Secondus commended the judges for putting truth and justice ahead of any other matter in carrying out their professional responsibilities.

Similarly, the Vice Presidential Candidate of the party in the Feb. 23 Presidential Election, Mr Peter Obi, hailed the tribunal for declaring Adeleke winner of the election.

Obi said he had always believed that the Judiciary would save Nigeria’s democracy.

“The ruling has shown that all hope is not lost about this country, as the judiciary continues to show really that it’s the last hope of the people,’’ Obi said.

In the same vein, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) also described the judgment as victory for democracy and affirmation of the supremacy of the sanctity of the ballot.

CUPP, in a statement issued by its Spokesperson, Ikenga Ugochinyere, said that the tribunal had given hope to Nigerians.

“Today’s judgment has reinforced the hope of the opposition that there are still men and women on the bench who, even in the face of rampage to destroy the Judiciary, can still stand firm and do the right thing.”

The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Friday declared Adeleke winner.

It upturned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, as winner of the election.

The three-member panel said that the rerun election that held on Sept. 27, 2018, was illegal.

The tribunal said Adeleke won the election at the first ballot on Sept. 22 and the rerun that INEC carried out to reach a final conclusion a week later was illegal.

“The declaration of Oyetola is null and void,” the tribunal ruled in a majority decision with one member dissenting.

The Tribunal sitting in Abuja also cancelled the results of 17 polling units

As a result of the cancellation, 2,227 votes cast was deducted from the votes of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Candidate, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, while 1,246 was deducted from the total votes of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

Earlier, the Tribunal had upheld the allegation by the PDP candidate on the doctoring of results which led to the declaration of Oyetola as Governor-elect and his swearing-in as Governor.

The tribunal noted the discrepancies between the EC8A Pink copies tendered by PDP and the CTC issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ruling that PDP’s allegations of doctoring of results “is hereby established and upheld” by the tribunal.

“The Tribunal,” according to the judgment, “holds that the CTC should and must be an exact replica of the EC8A pink copies. The discrepancies must therefore be explained and justified by the 1st respondent; INEC.

“In this instant, INEC failed to explain nor justify the alterations and that they failed to call any witness to justify the alterations.

“It therefore holds that the alterations must have been carried out in the absence of the Party Agents to which the Pink copies were issued.”

“It holds further that the attempt to explain the alterations on the basis of mere corrections of errors is not acceptable and the fact that the said errors were consistently made in the disputed areas means it was a deliberate action taken.”

PDP’s allegation of doctoring of results was subsequently established and upheld by the Tribunal, leading to the declaration of Adeleke, fondly called Dancing Senator, as the Governor-elect of Osun State.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on Friday also hailed the verdict that declaring Adeleke, winner of the September 2018 governorship election in the state, while sacking Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the APC from office.

In a statement issued by the PDP spokesperson, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, the party described the judgment as “a clear indicator that those who set out to destroy our democracy can never triumph and that no matter how evil and injustice appear to thrive, the truth must always prevail at the end of the day.”

It read: “Nigerians have accepted democracy as a way of life and a form of government that suits the multi-plurality of our nation.

“The spontaneous jubilation that greeted this judgment is therefore a direct indication that it is in consonant with the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians across the board.”

“For those who have been desperate to destroy our democracy, this judgment has proven to them that their shenanigans will always come to no avail.”

“The PDP commends the Judiciary for standing upright in the defence of democracy and for ensuring that those involved in the rapacious desecration of our democratic norms will never succeed.”

“This verdict, which reverberates across our nation, points to the fact that the truth will always prevail and that our party, the PDP, will recover all our stolen mandates in the 2019 general elections, particularly, the Presidential mandate, which Nigerians freely gave to our candidate, Atiku Abubakar.”

“Furthermore, all our candidates who have already won their elections, but whose victories are being manipulated by anti-democratic forces, must take solace in the words of the Osun election petition panel, that once valid votes have been declared and a winner emerges by majority of votes, a rerun is illegal.”

The party congratulated Adeleke, the “good people of Osun state as well as all lovers of democracy across our country for the triumph of justice over impunity, abuse of electoral processes and unfettered political rascality.”

Presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, while reacting to Adeleke’s victory at the tribunal said the Judiciary is the last hope of the common man.

“Truly, the Judiciary is the last hope of the common man and the defender of our democracy. Congratulations Sen. Ademola Adeleke,” the former Vice-president said.

The tribunal sitting in Abuja had on Friday declared PDP’s Adeleke winner.

In the lead verdict that was delivered by Justice Peter Obiora, the tribunal held that the State Returning Officer of INEC that cancelled results of seven polling units in four LGAs of the state, which led to the September 27 re-run poll, had no power to do so.

It invalidated the outcome of the re-run election.

“We hold that the cancellation was unlawful and ultra-vires of his powers.”

“The cancellation cannot stand, being a product of illegality”, the tribunal held. However, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, said he disagreed with the lead verdict.

Mr Oyetola has however said he is heading to the Appeal Court following the verdict by a tribunal in Osun, upturning his victory at the state’s governorship election. 

According to a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Wole Oyebamiji, the Osun State Government informed the people that the judgment of the election tribunal has been put on appeal.

The Government assured the people of Osun that justice will prevail at last, and that the law enforcement agencies have been instructed to maintain law and order across the state.

The Osun Government in its communique appreciated the support of the majority of the people “in all things essential for mutual progress”.

It further assured all the residents of the state of adequate security of lives and properties, noting that the Government of the State is still the only legitimate government having the authority to govern Osun.

Residents of the state were urged to go about their lawful duties without any hindrance.