Osun governor’s lawyers inspect election results, may head for court, Tinubu awaits gov
Findings indicate that lawyers to the state governor have begun studying the results from some polling units in the state with a view to identifying any irregularities, The PUNCH has learnt.
The three lawyers working on the matter are: Mr. Kola Adegoke (SAN), Dr. Abiodun Layonu (SAN) and Senator Bashir Ajibola, who is also the Director-General of Oyetola’s campaign.
One of our correspondents learnt that a letter would soon be forwarded to the INEC to obtain certified true copies of result sheets to compare them with the ones signed by polling agents.
Should they establish a solid case, Oyetola will be expected to set up a larger legal team made up of some of the most notable senior advocates to challenge the victory of the PDP.
“For now, our internal lawyers are looking through the available documents for any irregularities. Should we establish a good case, we will hire some of the biggest senior advocates to challenge the PDP’s victory in court,” an aide to Oyetola stated.
Confirming his involvement in Oyetola’s legal matter, Adegoke told The PUNCH that he and his colleagues were still sifting through the documents.
He added that because election matters are time-bound, he and the team would have to work quickly.
“We are still looking through the documents for now. Once we are satisfied, we will take the appropriate steps. We have not made any official statement on the election for now because we are still working on it.
“The matter is limited by time so we will make sure that we wrap up everything within the time limited by law,” Adegoke added.
Meanwhile, more commendations have trailed the successful conduct of the governorship poll with the United States Mission and British High Commission in Nigeria congratulating the people of Osun state, INEC and the security personnel.
The US Mission in a statement on Monday said, “We commend the concerted efforts of the Independent National Electoral Commission, staff and security personnel who helped facilitate a secure process that reflected the will of the people.
“We encourage all Nigerian citizens to register to vote now so that your voice can be heard in the national and state elections in 2023.”
In a statement on Monday titled, ‘Statement on the Osun State Governorship Election 2022’, the United Kingdom noted that there were improvements in the electoral process in Osun state compared to the recent Ekiti governorship poll.
It stated, “We note that the results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission are consistent with the results obtained through civil society-led Parallel Vote Tabulation process.
“We commend INEC, the security agencies, civil society partners led by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and all stakeholders for their contribution to the success of the process.”
The UK government, however, frowned on the incidences of vote-buying and called for the prosecution of those involved.
The Board of Trustees Chairman, PDP, Walid Jibrin said Adeleke’s victory was a turning point for the party’s success in 2023 polls.
While congratulating the governor-elect, the PDP chieftain noted that with the victory, the Osun people had sent a clear message on the party’s stand in the whole country, come 2023.
But the North Central Coordinator, Tinubu Support Organisation, Mallam Yinka Oniyangi said that the defeat of Governor Oyetola would not affect the chances of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 elections.
Speaking while hosting members of Tinubu support group and APC stakeholders in Ilorin, Kwara state on Sunday, Oniyangi said, “What happened in Osun governorship election is a lesson to all of us but Asiwaju Tinubu’s accountability measurement is different from the state measurement given his success when he was governor of Lagos State.
“I’m very confident that is not going to have any effect especially on the 2023 Presidential election. The Osun State politics is about accountability and performance of the governor. Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu is measured on his performance in his past records as governor of Lagos State and the narrative has not changed.
Meanwhile, there are indications that the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will only congratulate Adeleke, depending on the action of Oyetola in that regard.
Tinubu’s Campaign Organisation, said on Monday gave this indication in an interview with The PUNCH
The Spokesperson for Tinubu’s Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu was waiting for Oyetola before taking the next step. “The governor is the person on ground and he says he is studying the result. When he finishes studying the result, the governor will congratulate Adeleke if he needs to congratulate him. So Asiwaju is waiting for the governor to do the needful before he can speak”, Onanuga emphasized.
Oyetola had in a statement by his Spokesman, Ismail Omipidan told his supporters to remain calm, and that the people of the state go about their businesses without let or hindrance.
I expect Oyetola to have congratulated me, concede defeat, says Governor-elect, Adeleke
The Independent National Electoral Commission had on Sunday declared Adeleke as the winner of the election after defeating his closest challenger, Oyetola, who won in 13 local government areas as against
Adeleke has said he is expecting Oyetola to have called concede defeat at the governorship election held on Saturday.
This is just as Adeleke said his billionaire elder brother, Dr Adedeji Adeleke, gave strong backing to his governorship bid, including giving him “a lot of money” to run the campaign, the reason why he prostrated before the elder Adeleke when he (Ademola) was announced the winner of the election.
The governor-elect made this known on Monday when featuring on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television.
Adeleke said the people of Osun had been “yearning to retrieve their stolen mandate” and it they did on Saturday, and he is proud of them. He also noted that he wanted back to school in the United States of America after losing his first attempt at governorship in 2018 because he is a role model to young and old Nigerians, “to let them know that this man can do it at the age of 60 and I did it.”
When asked how he left for being the second from the Adeleke family to seek the governorship seat in Osun, the governor-elect gave the credit to God, saying, “God just smiled on our family, maybe for our goodies to Osun people.”
Adeleke said when he saw the congratulatory message from the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), despite being in the APC, he had the plan to visit the President “and tell him thank you for the message.” He noted that the party usually does not congratulate the opposition, “maybe he is trying to leave a legacy that the Electoral Act that he signed, that he meant it.”
On whether Buhari had a role to play in his victory, Adeleke said, “I have to give credit because if he did not sign it, there would have been room for rigging.”
When asked if his opponent had reached out to him after the electoral victory, Adeleke said, “No, not yet. Maybe he will do it today or tomorrow but I still expect him to call me and be civilised about it, and just accept defeat. That is all. This is democracy.”
The governor-elect also explained why he prostrated before his elder brother and father to superstar singer, Davido, immediate he was announced winner of the election.
Speaking on the video that has gone viral on the Internet, Adeleke said, “My brother called me; he said ‘Demola, listen, you don’t have anything to be ashamed of. You contested two elections and you won both. The second one, they stole it from you. This second one, because you are going there to serve, you are going to help the people of Osun State out of poverty, out of slavery. You are going to do it and I am going to support you, whatever that it takes – financially, monetarily. That is why I had to do what I had to do. He gave me a lot of backing. He gave me a lot of money.”
https://punchng.com/adelekes-camp-worries-over-litigation-woos-pdp-faction/