The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has taken a strong swipe at his opponent Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
Adeleke took the action in reaction to a recent political development in the state as more reactions trail the verdict of the Election Petition Tribunal which ruled in his favour.
Adeleke told the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Governor Gboyega Oyetola that anti-people demonstration cannot sustain a stolen mandate. Adeleke, who defeated APC’s Oyetola in the Osun State Election Tribunal last week, stated this through his Campaign Organisation.
A statement sent to DAILY POST on Wednesday by the Adeleke campaign organization said, “The handful of paid demonstrators rallying against the judgement restoring the stolen mandate cannot save Gboyega Oyetola and his band of usurpers.”
Adeleke was reacting to a development in the state where about 100 or so demonstrators who drummed support for Oyetola earlier in the week. Adeleke affirmed that the court judgement restoring his mandate “is valid and lawful in law and the constitution as it flows from evidence and cross examinations throughout the duration of the hearing.”
He maintained that “the usurpers are jittery and desperate over the restoration of people’s mandate.
“We note with confidence in God and people that the judgement is God given based on truth and dispassionate interpretation of the law and the constitution. We affirm that the judgement restored the will of the people as openly expressed on September 22 ,2018.The mobilisation of exploited O-Yes members to rally against a judgement that sets Osun people free from slave holders is reprehensible and a cowardly attempt to hoodwink the people.
“We note that that there is nothing within the judgement that is not covered by law and the constitution.The ruling to nullify the rerun ,the cancellation of results of some polling units and the declaration of Ademola Adeleke as the winner are all provided for by provisions of INEC Electoral guidelines, Electoral Act, the constitution of the Federal Republic and extant judgements of various courts in the land.
“The demonstration is therefore the historic last kick of a dying horse; it is a manifestation of desperation and panic in the midst of ultimate defeat. We urge our teaming supporters to remain peaceful and law abiding. Our team is prepared to pursue this matter until ultimate judgement is granted planting the people’s Governor on the seat at Abere Government House,” the statement read.
The campaign organization also thanked the people of Osun state for their demonstration of love and support since the judgement was declared, even as it called for the maintenance of peace and order even in the face of provocations.
In another development, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue certificate of return to Sen. Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr Adeyemi Azeez, National Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the association made the call in a statement on Wednesday, in Abuja. According to Azeez, as a body which respects the rule of law, NANS stands by the ruling of the tribunal which declared Adeleke as winner of the Osun 2018 gubernatorial election.
The ruling on March 22, was read by Justice Peter Obi, on behalf of the three-man tribunal. The tribunal voided the election of Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and declared Adeleke as winner.
The PRO also distanced itself from the purported protest by some self-acclaimed student leaders against the ruling of the Tribunal.
“We believe that the intellectual component of the youth demography and media are the major catalyst of development anywhere in the globe. The leadership of NANS wishes to use this opportunity to re-instate our earlier position on the verdict of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal. This is mandating INEC to issue certificate of return to Sen. Isiaka Adeleke, the candidate of the PDP as the duly elected Governor of Osun State, having polled the highest number of votes during the Sept. 18, 2018 Governorship Election in the state.
“In the same vein, I wish to use this opportunity to state categorically that the leadership of NANS is not part of the sponsored protest organised by some self-acclaimed student leaders against the ruling of the tribunal. These set of student leaders, of which majority are not students or life Students, are political contractors and jobbers who are roaming the streets of Osun on daily basis.’’
Azeez further called on the political class to desist from dragging the name of NANS into their political games.
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