TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun has commended the appeal court judgement reinstating Ademola Adeleke as the governor of the state.

In January, the Osun governorship election tribunal ruled that Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was able to prove that there was over-voting in some of the polling units in the gubernatorial election in the state.

Consequently, the majority judgement of the tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Adeleke and issue a fresh one to Oyetola as the duly elected governor of Osun.

But delivering judgement in the appeal filed by Adeleke on Friday, a three-member jury held that the election tribunal erred when it ruled that the 1st and 2nd respondents (Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress) proved their allegation of over-voting.

The appellate court held that Adeleke is the duly elected governor of the state.

Speaking in Osogbo, the capital of Osun, Oladele Olabamiji, spokesperson of the PDP in the state, said the party knew that the court of appeal would overturn the judgement of the tribunal.

He commended the appeal court for the judgement, adding that the party expects nothing different from the supreme court.

“We thank God Almighty and the honourable justices of the appeal court who today affirmed the collective resolve of the good people of Osun in electing Adeleke,” he said.

“We knew all along that in the face of the law and the weight of evidence before the court, the judgment at the lower tribunal was purely a travesty of justice. Our confidence never shook for once that we will get justice.

“We, however, want to thank the court of appeal for the laws of Nigeria, the electoral act and especially the democratic wishes of the people of Osun. When people can no longer vote and have their votes counted; when people can no longer choose their leaders freely, then there will be trouble. But today, the appellate court has corrected the danger in the judgement of the lower court.

“We are not expecting anything different at the supreme by the grace of God Almighty. Osun belongs to all of us. The government is the government of everybody. People should celebrate in moderation, go about their normal businesses and continue to support the governor.”