TheCable

Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo, has congratulated Gboyega Oyetola, former governor of Osun, over his victory at the governorship election petition tribunal.

In a statement on Friday by Richard Olatunde, his chief press secretary, Akeredolu said the tribunal judgment will deepen the country’s democratic values.

“We received with delight, the news of the Osun State Election Petition Tribunal which declared Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola as winner of the July 16 governorship election in the State,” the statement reads.

“This is indeed a victory for democracy. No doubt, the judgment will further consolidate and deepen our country’s democratic values and Election Petitions jurisprudence. It will also sustain the faith of the people in our democratic process.

“The will of the people has prevailed. I congratulate my dearest brother, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola (Ileri-Oluwa). I also rejoice with the good people of Osun State and the entire APC family. This is a victory for all.

“While we relish the victory of the moment, I like to assure my dearest brother, Gboyega that we will be with him all the way to the Supreme Court. We shall hold hands together and march on this path of shared conviction. At the end, this victory shall be permanent.

“Evidently, this ruling has put paid to issues surrounding the election. We are confident that this mandate restored will provide a new lease of life for Osun State. We urge our party members to savour this victory with joy while also seeing it as a great booster ahead of the forthcoming elections.”

TheCable had earlier reported how the Osun governorship election petition tribunal ruled in favour of Oyetola.

Delivering judgment, two out of the three-member panel of the tribunal held that Oyetola was able to prove that there was over-voting in some of the polling units.

Consequently, the majority judgment of the tribunal ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and issue a fresh one to Oyetola as the duly-elected governor of Osun.

Reacting to the development, Adeleke described the judgment as “a miscarriage of justice” adding that it is “an unfair interpretation against the will of majority of voters”.