On Friday, PDP supporters in Osogbo took to the streets to voice their displeasure with the Election Petitions Tribunal’s decision to disqualify Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Hundreds of protesters lined the streets, carrying signs with various slogans and chanting anti-opposition songs as a long line of campaign vehicles stood in line behind them.
The inscription on placards are “We say no to APC in Osun , Tribunal Panel is not fair, Don’t Dash our peoples mandates, Olorunda Local Government says no to tribunal judgment, among other inscription.
Also, most roads leading to the popular Olaiya junction and Old garage were blocked by the protesters, showing their grievances leading to heavy gridlock.
Speaking with some of the protesters at the Olaiya junction, they said their mandate was taken away from them in a repetition of what transpired in 2018 election.
Mr Taiwo Akinyele, said he was not happy with the Tribunal’s judgment in spite of the fact that the evidence before the court was clear that Gov. Adeleke won the election.
Akinyele decried the attitude of the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Tertsea Kume, who gave a different judgment in spite of all evidence against the petitioners.
He expressed optimism that his party (PDP) would retrieved its mandate at the Court of Appeal in Akure in due course.
“It is just a matter of time. We have been deceived and denied of our mandate. Osun people are tired of APC for all their harsh policies. I know God will intervene,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the Police command in Osun has warned against any unscrupulous element intending to breakdown law and order, adding that the command would ensure the peace of the state.
Some police personnel and other sister agencies were patrolling major roads to ensure no political party takes law into their hands. .
NAN recalled that Mr Gboyega Oyetola of APC and immediate past governor of the state, had challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission’s declaration of Mr Ademola Adeleke of PDP as winner of the election.
Oyetola and the APC had on Aug. 5, 2022, filed a petition before the Tribunal in Osogbo challenging the election results from 749 polling units across 10 local government areas, alleging electoral malpractices, especially over-voting.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Mr Adeleke as the winner of the governorship election, having polled 403, 271 votes against 375,027 polled by Mr Oyetola.
In the judgment delivered by the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Kume, on Friday, he upheld that the July 16, 2022 governorship election did not comply with the Electoral Act, noting that there was indeed over voting in six local government areas in Osun.
The tribunal chairman declared Mr Oyetola as winner of the July 16, 2022 governorship election. (NAN)
