Tribunal: PDP Jittery, Oyetola Remains Unshaken – Osun Govt

Tribunal: Dissenting Judgment is Our Protest, PDP Jolted, Confused – Osun Govt

We read with almost dismay text of the press conference of the Peoples Democratic Party where it alleged the administration of Governor Gboyega Oyetola of an attempt to sponsor protests against the unpopular majority judgment of the Osun Governorship election petition tribunal.

First, we state categorically that the government of Osun or the party, All Progressive Congress (APC) hoisting it is not in any way considering protest neither against the judiciary nor against the majority judgment. The text irresponsibly alleged the unlikely event of our wanting to blackmail with such step when the other face of the judgment vindicated us.

We are pleased and we hold on to the greatest protest against the majority judgment of the tribunal, which is the dissenting judgment delivered by the Chairman of the tribunal himself, Justice Muhammad Sirajo which dismissed the petition filed by PDP and its defeated gubernatorial candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke against the popular victory of Governor Oyetola.

The government and our party hold the strong belief that there is no other protest against the majority judgment of the tribunal than the minority judgment which has immediately corrected the miscarriage of justice in the lead verdict of the tribunal.

It is a known fact to the Osun PDP that their controversial judicial victory of last Friday does not have any footing, either in law or with the people; and is bound to crash and crumble as it is always with such cases that are determined with sentiments. The joy and celebration of such are often short-lived which was what happened to Osun PDP as they could only rejoice for few hours of one day.

Osun PDP obviously without the necessary wisdom of the reality of the situation were shocked by the fact of the right of appeal legally conferred on Governor Oyetola, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against their so called majority judgment are in severe pain that such window is still up for use.

Most painful for them is the explicit way in which the dissenting judgment had dissected issues in contention to the extent that most reasonable persons who read it found them compelling as the most rationale way to look at the points of law raised and may put to no issue their pyrrhic victory of last Friday, hence the foul cry where none existed.

We find it imperative to state that Governor Oyetola believes in the judiciary and he cannot, through conduct or statement, direct or indirect, blackmail the judiciary. He is a very reserved gentle man and one of the very few urbane Nigerians that can be found around.

Governor Oyetola will surely benefit from the wisdom, discerning mind and dispassionate disposition of the judiciary at the appeal and the supreme courts. Despite this, unscrupulous Osun PDP deliberately attempts to set him against the INSTITUTION THAT IS SEEN AS THE LAST HOPE OF THE COMMON MAN.

While we are having this conviction, it is frivolous for PDP to alleged Governor Oyetola of attempting to fund protest against the same judiciary where he is seeking redress. It is even insane for the PDP to allege that all local government chairmen and MDAs were being forced to commit between N20m-N30m to fund the projects, when it is a known fact that none of them is buoyant to fund N2m project at present.

If the security agencies are going to investigate anybody, it is the leadership and members of the PDP which have engaged in gross misconduct and attempt to breach public peace by spreading lies that INEC had issued Certificate of Return to Senator Adeleke, while Governor Oyetola is still the Governor of the state.

The allegation and conduct of members of the PDP on the outcome of the tribunal is another pointer to the fact that the party is confused and afraid of its imminent defeat at the court of appeal.

We urge members of the public to disregard as they always do, the unfounded allegation of the PDP against Governor Oyetola and the state government.

Adelani Baderinwa

Supervisor

Ministry of Information and Strategy

State of Osun