OSUN: Reactions As Oyetola Floors Adeleke At Supreme Court

The Supreme Court’s verdict which upheld the victory of Gboyega Oyetola as winner of the 2018 Osun governorship election has started generating reactions on social media.

The reactions are coming after the Supreme Court, in a final ruling delivered by a seven-member panel on Friday, held that Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) indeed defeated Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Osun governorship poll.

Adeleke had set out to challenge the declaration of Oyetola as winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after a rerun election conducted by the electoral body favoured Oyetola.

While Adeleke had scored more votes than Oyetola in the initial poll, the APC candidate was eventually declared winner by INEC after polling more total votes in the rerun.

The PDP candidate had secured initial victory after the Osun Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal overturned the APC candidate’s victory on the grounds that the PDP candidate won the election, hence a rerun wasn’t needed in the first place.

But Adeleke’s initial victory at the tribunal soon became invalid after Oyetola appealed the judgement. 

The Court of Appeal had ruled that “the tribunal was in patent error when it set aside the rerun,” hence invalidating Adeleke’s victory at the tribunal. The PDP candidate consequently approached  the Supreme Court.

But in delivering the final verdict on Friday, however, five of the judges on panel agreed that Oyetola won the election, while the two others disagreed. The court consequently upheld the appeal court ruling and affirmed Oyetola’s victory.

-Reactions To Supreme Court’s Verdict

The ruling has started generating reactions from Nigerians.

Former Vice President and the candidate of the PDP in the 2019 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, took to Twitter to air his opinion on the verdict.

Atiku Abubakar

Atiku said, “The Supreme Court has ruled and because of its judicial finality, the legal case is over.

“However, the love, acceptance and endorsement that the people of Osun bestowed on both Senator Adeleke and the @OfficialPDPNig is not over and cannot be overlooked.

“Those who think this is the end of the road for Senator Adeleke and the PDP in Osun, are greatly mistaken. This is not the end. Not even the beginning of the end. No. Today marks the continued ascendancy of Senator Adeleke and his party in the hearts and minds of his people.

“The great people of Osun had expected that the progress and development that the Adeleke family had consistently brought to Osun will be translated to their governance. That hope is not dead. Only delayed.

“I extend my right hand of brotherhood to Senator Adeleke in all his future endeavours and I assure the good people of the state of Osun that the Peoples Democratic Party remembers their love and acceptance and will never forget to stand by them no matter the situation.

“Finally, I urge the nation’s judiciary to take a pulse of the nation and reflect it. In their hands, God has placed a great responsibility. The duty to ensure that justice is done, irrespective of the pressure to do otherwise, by the powers that be,” said the former Vice President.

All Progressives Congress

In a terse statement on its official twitter handle, the ruling APC described Oyetola’s victory at the Supreme Court as “A breath of Fresh Air,” adding that it is “Victory for the people.”

-Femi Fani-Kayode

The former aviation minister and chieftain of the PDP tweeted: “I am not surprised by Oyetola’s so-called “victory” at the Supreme Court. Adeleke was robbed. Nigeria is finished.”

This is a developing story…