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Tag: Senator Ademola Adeleke

  • PDP hails verdict, says it’s triumph of people’s will

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hailed the verdict of the Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal, which upheld the victory of its candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

    It described the judgment as a victory for democracy and triumph of the will of the people.

    The main opposition party said the judgment was a clear indicator that those who set out to destroy the nation’s democracy can never triumph, and that no matter how evil and injustice appear to thrive, the truth must always prevail at the end of the day.

    In a statement issued by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, the party said Nigerians have accepted democracy as a way of life and a form of government that suits the multi-plurality of the nation.

    The statement said: “The spontaneous jubilation that greeted this judgment is therefore a direct indication that it is in consonant with the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians across the board.

    “For those who have been desperate to destroy our democracy, this judgment has proven to them that their shenanigans will always come to no avail.

    “The PDP commends the judiciary for standing upright in the defence of democracy and for ensuring that those involved in the rapacious desecration of our democratic norms will never succeed.

    “This verdict, which reverberates across our nation, points to the fact that the truth will always  prevail and that our party, the PDP, will recover all our stolen mandates in the 2019 general elections, particularly the Presidential mandate, which Nigerians freely gave to our candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

    “Furthermore, all our candidates who have already won their elections, but whose victories are being manipulated by anti-democratic forces, must take solace in the words of the Osun election petition panel, that once valid votes have been declared and a winner emerges by majority of votes, a rerun is illegal.

    “The PDP congratulates Senator Adeleke, the good people of Osun State as well as all lovers of democracy across our country for the triumph of justice over impunity, abuse of electoral processes and unfettered political rascality.”

    Judiciary defender of democracy -Atiku

    Applauding the judgment yesterday, the presidential candidate of the PDP in the just concluded elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, described the judiciary a true defender of democracy.

    In a statement issued by his media adviser, Mr Paul Ibe, the former Vice President noted that the restoration of the mandate of Senator Adeleke showed that the judiciary is indeed the last refuge of the common man and that in truth, those who were aggrieved and resolved to maintain the peace have been vindicated.

    Atiku congratulated Senator Adeleke, the PDP and men and women of goodwill in Osun State, who he said did not waver in their commitment to retrieve the “stolen mandate”.

    “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy has come for the people of Osun,” he said.

    According to him, the decision of the judiciary in the Osun governorship election was phenomenal in view of the culture of inconclusive elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in this season.

    “The judgment has rekindled hope and confidence that those whose mandate had been tampered with or denied can look forward to justice being done to them,” Atiku said.

  • Osun: Judiciary defender of our democracy -Atiku

    The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23, 2019 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has applauded the judiciary as truly, the defender of Nigeria’s democracy.

    Atiku Abubakar made the declaration while reacting to the verdict of the Osun governorship election petition tribunal which upheld the election of the PDP candidate in the September 22, 2018 governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

    In a statement yesterday by his media adviser, Mr. Paul Ibe, the former Vice President noted that the restoration of the stolen mandate of Senator Adeleke showed that indeed the judiciary is the last refuge of the common man and that in truth, those who were aggrieved and resolved to maintain the peace, have been vindicated.

    Atiku congratulated Senator Adeleke, the PDP and men and women of goodwill in Osun State, who he said, did not waiver in their commitment to retrieve the stolen mandate.

    READ ALSO: We’ll appeal tribunal judgment on Osun governorship, says APC

    “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy has come for the people of Osun”, Atiku added.

    The PDP presidential candidate commended the courage of the judiciary and its resilience even in the face of alleged strenuous effort by the All Progressives Congress (APC) -led government to undermine and intimidate it.

    According to him, the decision of the judiciary in the Osun governorship election was phenomenal in view of the culture of inconclusive elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in this season.

    “The judgment has rekindled hope and confidence that those whose mandate had been tampered with or denied can look forward to justice being done to them,” Atiku said.

    He urged the judiciary to remain steadfast as the eyes of all Nigerians and indeed the whole world are on them to help ensure that democracy in Nigeria is put on a solid foundation.

  • ‘PDP’s petition against Oyetola a bedlam of confusion’

    •Tribunal reserves judgment in dispute over Osun governorship election

    THE Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal has reserved judgment in the petition by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, in the September 2018 governorship election.

    The PDP and Adeleke are challenging the declaration of Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The tribunal yesterday, after entertaining final arguments and adoption of written addresses by lawyers to the parties, announced that judgment had been reserved.

    Its chairman, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, said parties will be informed, at least, 48 hours before the date of delivery of the judgment.

    Wole Olanipekun (SAN) appeared for Oyetola; Akin Olujinmi (SAN) represented the APC. Lasco Pwahomdi appeared for INEC.

    In adopting their separate final addresses, Olanipekun, Olujinmi and Pwahomdi urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition on the grounds that the petitioners failed to prove their case.

    In fact, Olanipekun described the petition as “a bedlam of confusion”.

    Read also: Polls: More alliances in Oyo, Lagos, Kwara, Ogun

    But, lawyer to the petitioners, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), while adopting his final address, urged the tribunal to uphold the petition and grant all the reliefs prayed by the petitioners.

    Yesterday’s proceeding was witnessed by the Osun State governor, who was accompanied by some of his officials.

    He was dressed in white agbada, but declined to speak with reporters, who sought his views after the tribunal’s proceedings.

    Adeleke, who attended the tribunal’s sittings during the trial period, was absent yesterday.

    Olanipekun, while adopting his final address, noted that the petition was full of confusing claims and betrayed the petitioners’ lack of understanding of the nation’s election petition jurisprudence.

    In identifying what he described as the many contradictions in the petition, Olanipekun noted that “in pages 37, 38 and 39, the petitioners are presenting a different case entirely from their pleadings”.

    “The petition is a bedlam of confusion,” he said.

    Olanipekun noted that the petitioners have admitted breaching the electoral law by seeking that some of their votes be quashed.

    He added: “They are also asking the tribunal to quash some of their votes. A self-confessed petitioner, who has in writing, admitted infringing the law, cannot be asking to be returned as a winner of the election.

    “In their relief seven, they want the court to nullify the certificate of return, but they failed to present the certificate before the tribunal. Where is that certificate? Can the tribunal nullify what is not before it?

    “They said the certificate of return is with us. If it is with us, should they not have given us a notice to produce it? They did not give us notice to produce it,” Olanipekun said.

    He relied on a decision of the Court of Appeal given on Wednesday in the motion filed by the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar and urged the tribunal to decline the petitioners’ prayer to void the guideline issued by INEC for the conduct of the election.

    In similar argument, Olujinmi faulted the evidence given by 63 polling agents called as witnesses by the petitioners.

    He noted that, though the petitioners called 80 witnesses in all, 63, who were polling unit agents, gave common evidence by saying similar things and using almost exactly the same words.

    Olujinmi also argued that the evidence by the petitions’ 74th witness, who was the state polling agent, amounted to hearsay evidence because he admitted getting the information from the documents submitted to him.

    He urged the tribunal to ignore the various documents tendered by the petitioners, which he said, they merely dumped on the tribunal without demonstrating their link to the case.

    Olujinmi also noted contradictions in the case of the petitioners and the evidence they led.

    He noted that while the petitioners want the tribunal to declare them winner of the first part of the election held on September 22, 2018 and void the supplementary election held on September 27, 2018, their 74th witness said they have no cause of action as it relates to the election of September 22, 2018.

    Ikpeazu, in his counter argument, urged the tribunal to disregard the issues raised by the respondents’ lawyers.

    He faulted the written addresses by the 2nd and 3rd respondents, which he argued, were not filed as required by law.

    Ikpeazu said there was no confusion as it relates to the case of the petitioners. He said the respondents’ claim of existence of confusion betrayed their misunderstanding of the case.

    Ikpeazu said the petitioners’ case was that, based on the result of the election of September 22, the 1st petitioner, having satisfied provision of Section 179(2) of the Constitution, ought to be declared as having won.

    He faulted the respondents’ argument that the petitioners dumped documents on the tribunal.

  • Breaking: Osun gov closes case at tribunal after 11 witnesses

    *APC to open defence, Feb 6

    Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola has closed his defence before the state’s governorship election tribunal, sitting in Abuja.

    Oyetola, who is the second respondent in the petition filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last governorship election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, closed his case on Tuesday, after calling 11 witnesses.

    PDP and Adeleke are challenging the outcome of the election won by Oyetola, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Read Also; Osun tribunal: ‘INEC is allowed to rectify errors in result sheets’

    Oyetola had, on February 1 this year, after calling his 11th witness – Adegboyega Rasaki Adeosunn, who acted as APC’s State Collation Officer during the election, promised to call four more on Monday.

    At the resumption of proceedings on Monday, Oyetola”s lawyer, John Baiyeshea (SAN) told the tribunal that his client did not see any reason to call more witnesses and has decided to close his case.

    Tribunal’s Chairman, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo adjourned to Wednesday for the third respondent, APC to open its defence.

  • Adeleke vows to contest results in court

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the just concluded governorship election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, vowed yesterday to use both physical and legal means to upturn the result of the poll in his favour.

    Adeleke claimed at a press conference in his hometown, Ede, that he was robbed at the polls, and said no effort would be spared to seek redress.

    The PDP flag bearer urged the people not to be low spirited, adding that the defeat was a temporary setback which would become a victory in the end.

    The senator said he sympathised with those that were wounded during the election, promising that those arrested would be released soon.

    He also expressed gratitude to domestic and international observers for their impartial coverage of the election allegedly marred by violence, malpractices and irregularities.

    Adeleke added that the people of Osun must remain vigilant but calm.

    Osun PDP Chairman, Hon. Soji Adagunodo, also alleged that the gubernatorial election was rigged and accompanied with violence.

    Adagunodo lauded Nigerians and members of the media for their enthusiasm and the passion demonstrated in support of democracy.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday, announced Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Party (APC) as duly elected and winner of the rerun election after it had declared the Sept. 22 governorship election inconclusive.

  • Adeleke: Victory assured if…

    After casting his vote, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke, has assured his supporters that, if he is not rigged out by the authorities in charge of the process, he is sure of victory. Adeleke who arrived exactly 8am at his polling unit 009, Ward 2, Abogunde/Sagba registration area, Ede North, was the first to vote at the unit.

    The Card Reader Machine initially had difficulties authenticating his fingerprints but after about five minutes, he succeeded in doing his accreditation.

    The PDP flag bearer, who voted at about 8.07am, told reporters afterwards that so far everything was proceeding normally and that if it continues that way he is sure of victory.

    He said attempts were made to frustrate his bid, to destabilise him ahead of the election but everything failed in the end.

     

  • Osun polls: Oyetola, Adeleke in tight race

    Early returns from the  Osun State governorship election last night indicated a tight race between the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Isiaka Oyetola and Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Oyetola had the upper hand in 13 of the 30 local government areas, according to results handed over to party agents at the various polling stations by INEC.

    Adeleke trailed in the second position after winning in 11 LGAs while Senator Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was the preferred candidate in only four LGAs.

    Alhaji Moshood Adeoti of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) secured only two LGAs.

    The official result is to be released by INEC.

    Each of the leading candidates won in his unit and local government area.

    Oyetola won in Boripe, Adeleke in Ede, Omisore in Ile Ife and Adeoti in Iwo.

    It was however a bad outing for Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a former governor of the State and the prime mover of the Olusegun Obasanjo-inspired African Democratic Party’s (ADC) candidate, Alhaji  Fatai Akinbade, lost in Oyinlola’s ward at Okuku.

    Don’t tamper with our winning results – PDP

    Moment after the close of voting yesterday, the Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation issued a statement warning against manipulation of the results of the poll.

    The will of the people must be respected, it said in the statement by its Director of Publicity, Mr. Olawale Rasheed.

    He said: “as results are been collated across the state, we demand utmost fair play and transparency from the electoral body.

    “We are watching and monitoring closely. Under no circumstance should the collation process be manipulated.

    “Our agents and leaders are on their toes armed with relevant results and forms. The will of the people must be respected.

    “We task INEC and security agencies to obey the directive of President Muhammad Buhari who had ordered that the Osun electoral process should never be manipulated by federal or any related agencies.

    “We call on local and international observers to take note of the ongoing process and assist the people of Osun state to realise the supremacy of their electoral will.

    “Our people should also be ever vigilant to protect their votes and their aspirations for better life.”

    Voters turn out high

    Voters’ turn out for the election was generally high across the state.

    Security was also tight to discourage disruption of the election and to apprehend violators of the electoral process.

    Accreditation and voting commenced at about 8 am simultaneously in many polling units

    In Osogbo, the state capital, many of the residents had trooped to their polling units as early as 6.am.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said more than 300 voters were on the queue  at Osunbukola Ward 10 Unit 003 Polling Unit in Egbedore LGA by the time voting got underway.

    There were also some policemen and NSCDC personnel at the polling unit.

    The Accreditation Officer at the unit, Mashood Samson, said  the exercise was hitch-free with the card readers working perfectly.

    An official of the Transition Monitoring Group, Dr Abiola Afolabi, told NAN the exercise in the units visited was orderly.

    At the Ward 5 Unit 1 Polling Unit in Osogbo Local Government, more than 300 voters were on the queue for accreditation and voting which started at 8.10.am.

    An international observer from the National Democratic Institute who simply identified herself as Miss Courtney said the exercise so far had been transparent, an assessment corroborated by Busayo Soyebi of the Centre for Transparent Advocacy.

    At the Osogbo Polling Unit 2 Ward 5 inside Osogbo Grammar School, no fewer than 200 voters were sighted waiting to be accredited.

    In Iragbiji, the hometown of the APC candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, there was also a massive turnout.

    At the polling units in LA primary School Popo, Ward 1,  Oja Oba Town Hall, Ward 2, Osolo Hall, Ward 1 and Oke-Osun, Ward 1B, many of the voters arrived as early as 7:00 am to check their names on the voters’ list.

    At exactly 8:24, accreditation and voting started at Polling Unit 2, LA Primary School Popo.

    Some voters, however, complained that they could not find their names on the voters’ register.

    The INEC Presiding Officer, Mr Lawal Adewale, said they had no challenges at the voting unit as materials arrived early.

    He said those complaining they could not find their names on the voters’ register were not at the polling unit to vote.

    More than 200 voters were at the polling unit made up three voting points to cast their vote.

    In Ede, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Adeleke,  voted at Ward 2 Unit  9 at Sagba-Abogunde at about 8:01 am after an initial hitch with the card reader.

    “The card reader took a lot of processes before it started working and I hope it is not the same in other polling units,” he said.

    The police spokesman, Acting DCP Jimoh Moshood, had said four unarmed policemen and two others from other security agencies would be on duty at each voting point throughout the state.

    He also said the Police Mobile Force (PMF) headed by a very senior officer will provide security at the RAC, Super RAC and collation centres.

  • Saraki heads 85-member PDP’s Osun campaign council

    The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki is heading an 85-member campaign council of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the September 22 governorship election in Osun State.

    All the party’s serving governors and presidential aspirants are also members of the council. The council, which was inaugurated in Abuja Monday by the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has since resumed work.

    Read Also:Crisis rocks Imo PDP over alleged alteration of delegate list

    Secondus, while inaugurating the team, described election rigging and vote buying as the worst forms of corruption, warning that the PDP would not tolerate the charade.

    The party chair recalled that the July 14, 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State was marred by vote buying and election rigging and warned that the Ekiti experience must not be allowed to happen in Osun.

    Secondus said, “Enough is enough, PDP will not tolerate Osun being rigged like Ekiti. We have a popular candidate and the performance of the APC ruling government has been awful with months of salaries owed to workers.

    “We are aware that the electoral commission that is supposed to operate as an unbiased umpire in the conduct of elections has suddenly made itself a parastatal of the federal government, conniving with APC and security agencies to exchange results.

    “Even security agencies whose allegiance should be to the constitution and people of Nigeria, have allowed themselves to behave as if they are operatives of the ruling APC.

    “We decided to set up this high powered committee to demonstrate the importance we attach to this election. All our presidential aspirants and some state governors are members, plus all other critical stakeholders from South West and other parts of the country”.

    The party chairman implored lovers of democracy around the world to show more than passing interest in the Osun State governorship election, saying that the APC is not disposed to conducting free and fair election.

    In his remarks, Saraki charged President Muhammadu Buhari to stand on the commitment he made recently to two world leaders that visited the country recently; that he would conduct free, fair and credible election, with Osun as example.

    Saraki said that aside the popularity of the PDP candidate in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the people of the state were yearning for change to return their state to the PDP.

  • Certificate forgery: Fresh suit filed against Adeleke

    A fresh suit against the Osun State governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has been filed in the state High Court, Osogbo, the state capital.

    Two PDP delegates, Olagboye Adedamola and Oyetunji Suredi, who accused Adeleke of forging the testimonial and statement of result he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission, also dragged before the court the PDP the state Chairman, Hon. Soji Adagunodo, and his state executive council members and the INEC.

    Read Also:Adeleke gets seven days to produce certificate

    At the hearing of the case before the court on Tuesday, the plaintiffs asked for an abridged date for the respondents to appear after the service within seven days instead of 21 days and the court order to allow them to advertise all their applications in the national dailies.

    The court after the submission of the plaintiffs’ counsel, Bar. Abdulrahman Okunade granted the two prayers.

    In the new suit attached with seven exhibits and a 37-paragraph affidavit, the plaintiffs sought for seven reliefs and asked the court to disqualify Senator Adeleke from contesting the September 22 polls as the governorship candidate of the PDP.

    They specifically asked the court to bar Adeleke from the poll “on account of ineligibility, false information and submission of false documents to the INEC as the 4th defendant in the suit.”

    They urged the court to declare the first runner-up in the PDP primary conducted on July 21, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi as the party’s lawful candidate for the forthcoming governorship election.

    In his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice David Oladimeji, adjourned the case till tomorrow Wednesday.

  • PDP screens 11 aspirants for Osun guber poll

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is currently screening 11 aspirants that have indicated interest in the party’s ticket for the Osun State governorship election.

    The eleven aspirants are Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, Dr. Oyewumi Olalere, Oladipo Oke, Felix Ogunwale, Fatai Akinbade and Ezekiel Adeniyi.

    Others are Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, Ayoade Adewopo, Adejare Bello, Senator Ademola Adeleke and Prof Adeolu Durotoye.

    Chairman of the screening committee, Mr Austin Opara who spoke to journalists at the party’s Abuja secretariat on Monday, said the party would provide level playing field for all the aspirants.

    Opara said, “We are determined to do things right. The new leadership of the party has said we must rebrand the party. We will be guided by the guidelines of the party, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the PDP constitution.

    “We will not import any material that is not in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the guidelines. The constitution for instance has specified the age limit, especially with the passage of the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill into law”.

    Opara announced that all the aspirants have returned their nomination documents and assured that the process will be transparent.

    “The exercise is a process and it is clear in all that the party is doing, including the screening that is taking place today. It is going to be very transparent because we want the best for the party and of course, the best for the party is the best for the country. We would be transparent and fair to all concerned.

    “At the end, we want the best for our nation. You can attest to the fact that things are falling apart in the country today as led by the ruling party, even in Osun State. The only party that can give Nigerians hope today is the PDP,” Opara said.