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Gbajabiamila, Sanwo-Olu, Others Speak
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Atiku, PDP Kick
Mixed reactions have continued to trail the Osun state tribunal verdict which annulled the 16th July, 2022 gubernatorial election that declared Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner, as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Friday, congratulated the former Governor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adegboyega Oyetola, on his victory.
But the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar described the entire process as the first phase of the struggle to reclaim the lost mandate.
“The tribunal verdict was a welcome development and a fair deal for the people of Osun State who stood behind Oyetola to return for the second term,” Gbajabiamila said.
According to him, the people of Osun State have been vindicated by the verdict and urged Oyetola to be magnanimous in victory at the end of the whole process.
But Atiku in his declaration, said, “On today’s verdict of the Election Petition Tribunal, I stand in solidarity with the good people of Osun State who overwhelmingly voted for the Peoples Democratic Party and gave their mandate to His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke.
“What has happened at the tribunal today is a phase in the struggle to liberate Osun State, and I am sure that at the conclusion of the whole process, the people shall be victorious.
“I, therefore, call on the people of Osun to continue to have faith in their governor elected into office on the popular ballot. This light that has shone on Osun shall never go dim,” he said.
Conversely, the Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday night, commended the judiciary “for doing the right thing.”
While congratulating Adegboyega Oyetola on his Victor at the tribunal, the governor charged Oyetola to dust his economic blueprint that he has started with the people of Osun State and ensure the completion of the very good work he has started.
In his words, “We need to commend and believe in the judicial success and judicial process of our country. I think the tribunal has taken its time, and you can see the outcome. It was a majority decision and I want to thank and commend them for doing the right thing. I imagine they must have been under tremendous pressure but I am sure at the end of the day, they took the right decision.
“My congratulations goes to the APC family in Osun. This is a victory that has been delayed for such a long time. The judiciary has shown that it was delayed but not denied, so I want to congratulate my brother, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
“I want him to go and dust all of the economic blueprint that he has started with the people of Osun, dust all of his files and ensure that by the grace of God, he returns back to the Ileri Oluwa journey for dividends of all of his effort in the last four years. He will go back to work and complete the good work that he has started with his people.
“I want to call on everybody in Osun that APC will continue to remain the party to beat, and a party of relevance in Osun State and in Nigeria as a whole.” Sanwo-Olu said.
But the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) has said the judgment of the Tribunal is contrary to the Will of the people of Osun State which was expressed by the overwhelming votes cast for the Party and it’s Candidate at the election.
According to PDP, the July 16, 2022 Governorship election in Osun State was adjudged by Local and International Observers to be free, fair, transparent and clearly won by the PDP Candidate, Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The Will of the people of Osun State as expressed by electing Governor Adeleke must be respected. As a law-abiding Party, the PDP will explore all available legal means to restore the victory of the Party.July 16, 2022
