Joyous members of the Peoples Democratic Party thronged the Ede residence of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Friday to celebrate his victory at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which affirmed his election in the July 16, 2022 governorship poll. Party supporters danced around the compound, while drummers sang praises for the governor. The celebrations spread beyond Adeleke’s home; residents of Ede, Ilesa, Osogbo and other major towns took to the streets, rejoicing over the appellate court’s unanimous judgment that declared Adeleke the winner.
The Court of Appeal’s decision overturned the State Election Tribunal’s majority ruling, which had annulled Adeleke’s victory and declared the All Progressives Congress candidate, Adegboyega Oyetola, the winner. News of the appeal’s success prompted jubilant crowds to gather around Oja Timi, Total and Oke Gada, expressing their satisfaction. In Osogbo, the celebration was led by Asimiyu Ajibola, the PDP caretaker chairman of the local government area, with party members in PDP colours gathering at Olaiya Junction to sing and dance. In Ilesa, former PDP state chairman Sunday Bisi headed the festivities on Oke’sa, while PDP members in Ile‑Ile moved from Ilare to Oja Tuntun, continuing the revelry.
Speaking to journalists at his Ede residence, Governor Adeleke urged people to celebrate cautiously, commended the judiciary, and asked citizens to keep praying for his administration. “I will keep thanking God; the people of Osun State have endured much in the past four years, but they should keep hope alive. The voice of the people is the voice of God. There is no victor, there is no vanquished. We should all come together to move Osun State forward. Celebrate, but do not break the law, especially during this fasting period. Continue to pray that we deliver on our campaign promises. This case is water‑tight, and I must commend the judiciary for doing justice,” he said.
Former Osun State governor Oyetola, reacting to the court decision, urged APC members to remain calm and not be discouraged. In a statement released by his media aide Ismail Omipidan, Oyetola affirmed his confidence in the judiciary, noting that while the appeal judgment had been heard, a copy had not yet been received. He added, “From the snippets we are getting, we believe we have a potential ground to approach the Supreme Court. Our belief in the judiciary remains unshaken, as does my faith in God’s promise regarding the reclaim of my mandate. I therefore appeal to our supporters and party members to remain calm as we take the next step.”
The Appeal Court judgment stemmed from Adeleke’s appeal (CA/AK/EPT/GOV/01/2023). In a unanimous decision, a three‑member panel led by Justice Mohammed Shaibu found the appeal meritorious, overturning the tribunal’s order that had withdrawn Adeleke’s Certificate of Return and awarded it to Oyetola. The court ordered the APC and its candidate to pay N500,000 in costs and held that the burden of proving over‑voting rested on the petitioner. Justice Shaibu emphasized that a party alleging non‑compliance with the Electoral Act must prove its case without merely relying on the opponent’s weaknesses. He also rejected the claim that a comment about “lo lo lo buga won” indicated judicial bias, stating that, while condemnable, it did not affect the tribunal’s judgment.
Comments are closed for this story.