The Osun State PDP said its attention has been drawn to a series of prejudicial media publications from Mr Gboyega Oyetola and the All Progressive Congress (APC) over the petition challenging the election of Senator Ademola Adeleke as the Governor of Osun state.
According to a press release on Sunday, 25th September 2023 signed by the Osun State PDP Caretaker Chairman, Dr Adekunle Akindele, he said that the party noticed with disappointment that the intensity of the sponsored, subjudice media trial increased soon after the rejection by the President, Court of Appeal of Oyetola’s request to relocate the Tribunal sitting from Osogbo to Abuja.
The statement reads, “We, first of all, commend the judiciary for rejecting the relocation petition as there were no justifiable reasons for such request. Osun is not only peaceful but the few cases of insecurity were mostly engineered by the state government in its despairing agenda to scuttle peoples’ will. We are therefore elated that the judicial leadership saw through the plot and adopted the position of security agencies that Osun is secured enough to host the sitting of the Tribunal.
“We must hasten to add that our objection to the relocation request was premised on the critical need to protect the integrity and safety of BVAS machines and other materials used during the elections. As the machines are likely to be central to the determination of the petition, keeping them safe here in Osun rather than exposing them to tampering and hacking in transit, is our official position.
“Our party as a law-abiding organisation is however disappointed with the recklessness and utter disregard of Mr Oyetola and his team for the integrity and credibility of the judicial process. In the last few weeks, the petitioner has launched a series of media publications, first alleging false admission to over-voting by defendants, misrepresenting to the public the fillings of defendants, alleging complicity of the electoral commission through doctoring of court fillings and lately creating falsified election results to purportedly claim victory.
“As much as we have attempted to correct the counterfeited claims being an interested party, Mr Oyetola and his team are so far incorrigible as they persist in their nefarious conduct of wilful pervasion of facts. We have therefore concluded that ongoing election data manipulation in the public domain if left unchecked by the Tribunal is capable of plunging the state into conflict ahead of the November 27 transfer of power. The polity is already overheated and it is time Mr Oyetola is called to order before he plunges the state into an avoidable crisis.
“We repeat for the sake of all lovers of democracy that all false election graphics being circulated by APC are figments of their imagination. The official results of the July 16 elections remain the authentic results. That victory of Senator Ademola Adeleke is what all defendants are defending as evidenced in their fillings at the Tribunal. We make bold to say that none of the defendants admitted to any electoral error but rather holistically articulated data and facts which authenticated the electoral victory of Senator Adeleke.
“As the Tribunal commences sitting tomorrow, we challenge Mr Oyetola to demonstrate a measure of integrity by allowing the Tribunal to treat his petition if he believes he has a good case. As the petitioner, his sponsored media trial digs a huge hole in his petition as it signifies a likely judicial defeat, hence his flooding the media space with falsified figures and fake news.
“If the defeated Governor fails to retrace his steps, we urge the Tribunal to invoke relevant sanctions against him and his party for undermining the judiciary, for misinforming the public, for doctoring court documents, for attempting to bring the court into disrepute and for pre-empting decisions of our lord justices.
“To our teeming supporters and people of Osun state, we reassure you that your mandate conferred on Senator Adeleke is safe and secure. Recent doctored reports are manifestations of the upcoming final defeat of Mr Oyetola as they have no impact on Adeleke’s incoming governorship of Osun state.
“Osun people have spoken; their votes are resounding, and their Governor-elect is Senator Ademola Adeleke. We have deep confidence that our Lord’s Justices will surely deliver fair and equitable trial without fear or favour.
