Supreme Court Judgement: Will Adeleke Light Up Osun Now?

Nigerians most especially supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and lovers of the country’s President, Bola Tinubu are still rejoicing as the Supreme Court, on Thursday, ended the 171-day legal tussle and rejected the appeals filed by the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, seeking to nullify the election of the President.

It would be recalled that Atiku and Obi’s appeals commenced on May 8 and climaxed on the 26th of October, 2023.

In the lead judgment delivered by the Chairman of the seven-man panel, Justice Inyang Okoro, the apex court dismissed the appeals of Atiku and Obi, leaving Tinubu as Nigeria’s president till 2027.

However, as the dust is settling on the judgement with the winning camp rejoicing and the losing ones pondering on their next moves, residents of Osun State are asking if a promise made by the state Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke will be fulfilled.

Adeleke had on December 07, 2022, during the visit of Atiku to Osogbo, the state capital, for his presidential campaign rally promised to light up everywhere in Osun before Atiku comes back to the state as president.

Adeleke disclosed that he found himself in an embarrassing situation when the former vice president, himself and other dignitaries moved around the state capital on the night of December 06, 2022, and discovered that the whole city was without light, promising to correct the situation.

He said, “I told our incoming president that ‘sorry, this is what we met on the ground but I can assure you that by the time you will be coming to visit us as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, there will be light everywhere.”

Almost eleven months after and with the Supreme Court dashing the hope of the Adamawa-born politician, residents are hoping the promise can still be fulfilled.

Findings by Osun Defender revealed that the majority of the streetlights on Osogbo roads are not functioning, leaving the state capital in almost total darkness at night.

Areas like Dada Estate, Technical, Oke Fia, Old Garage, Igbona, and Ota Efun are without functioning streetlights.

Speaking with the medium, a resident of Ota Efun area in Osogbo, Okanlawon Obajuwon, appealed to the state governor to fulfil his promise and light up the state.

He said, “I did not even know he promised to light up the state before Atiku comes back to the state as President but I believe as a governor who loves his people, providing streetlights should be a priority.

“If the streets are lit, it will encourage a lot of good things and prevent bad happenings. The crime rate will surely reduce on our streets if everywhere is lit, especially in the evenings.”

For Abisola Abiodun, Adeleke, going by his pet name ‘Imole’ ought to have taken the provision and repairing of streetlights on the major roads as a top priority.

“When you call someone ‘Imole’ and the majority of the streets under his administration are in darkness at night, that person is not living up to his name.

“When you go around the town at night and you see everywhere being dark, it portrays the state in a bad shape.

“I want to appeal to Governor Adeleke to prioritise the lighting of Osun streets. The damaged streetlights should be fixed while those in need should be looked into.

“Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is not coming to Osun as president at least for now, but Adeleke can fulfil his promise and light up everywhere in the state as it will not look good on him if the current President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu visits the state and he finds himself in an embarrassing situation again.

“Atiku might not have won, but Osun residents deserve to be the biggest winner for voting Adeleke and, as such, deserves ‘Imole’ everywhere.”