Osun PDP, lawmaker hail appeal court for upholding Adeleke’s victory

• Advise Oyetola To Accept Verdict
• Okowa Congratulates Him

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended the unanimous decision of the appellate court that validated the mandate of Governor Ademola Adeleke on Friday.

The party also called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor Gboyega Oyetola to accept the court’s decision and public verdict. The PDP state’s Chairman, Dr. Akindele Adekunle, reacted to Oyetola’s and Osun APC’s intention to challenge the unanimous verdict at the Supreme Court.

Adekunle said: “The unanimous decision has clearly validated the people’s will in Osun. We urge the Osun APC and Oyetola to bury their hatchet, congratulate Governor Adeleke and join hands with the PDP in the state to move Osun forward, instead of embarking on another futile mission to the Supreme Court.

“If truly Oyetola loves Osun State, he should, by now, have understood the people had chosen who they want to govern them. It is only a sadistic and vindictive element that will find it difficult to congratulate an eventual victor in an elective position …”

Also, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, Mr. Busayo  Oluwole Oke applauded the Court of Appeal for the verdict. Oke, who represents Obokun Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun, in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja, said the judgment had reaffirmed the confidence of Osun people in he nation’s judiciary.

He said: “The judgment also saved the country from brink of collapse and avoidable crisis. It is a testament to the fact that truth cannot be hidden and it is constant.”

While appealing for calm, the lawmaker said: “The APC family in Osun should accept this judgment in good faith and join hands with Senator Adeleke to move Osun State forward.

Meanwhile, the Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, has congratulated his Osun counterpart, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, on his victory at the Appeal Court.
Okowa, in a statement, yesterday, by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, said the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which nullified Adeleke’s election earlier, did not do justice to the case.

He commended the three-man panel of the Appeal Court for rightfully setting aside the erroneous judgment of the Tribunal, adding that the judgment was “a victory for the nation’s democracy and a reaffirmation of the responsibility of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to act as an unbiased umpire.”

He said: “I must commend the courage and sagacity exhibited by the three-man panel of the Appeal Court, which ruled that the petitioners failed to prove their allegation of over-voting and substantial non-compliance.

“This victory is coming at a time when the Osun people have embraced the PDP as their party, which they rightly voted for in the just-concluded general glections.

“This victory is for all Osun people as indeed light has come to outshine the forces of darkness.” The PDP Chairman further commended the Lord Justice of the Appeal Court for restoring the confidence of the people in the judiciary. “We wish to commend and applaud the Lord Justice of the appellate court for upholding the tenet of justice and fairness in the Osun’s case.

“The unanimous decision by the three judges had shown what we had at the Tribunal before was utterly a miscarriage of justice. However, by this judgment, the people’s confidence in the judiciary has been restored and reinforced, as the last hope of the common man.

The party further thanked Osun people and well-wishers across board for standing by them. He urged them not cease in interceding for the state and for the governor to continue to enjoy God’s favour and remain victorious in every other obstacle on his way.