The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has said that the legal case is over and since the Supreme Court is the judicial finality. The love, acceptance and endorsement that the people of Osun bestowed on both Senator Adeleke and the Peoples Democratic Party is not over and cannot be overlooked.
The former vice president released the statement on his Facebook Page after Supreme Court declared Governor Oyetola as the winner of the governorship election in Osun.
Full Statement:
I join with people of goodwill all over Nigeria to say to Senator Ademola Adeleke, and the people of the great state of Osun, that we stand with them in good times and in difficult days.
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 Peoples Democratic Party is not over and cannot be overlooked.
Those who think this is the end of the road for Senator Adeleke and the Peoples Democratic Party 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.
They 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
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court validated the election of Gboyega Oyetola as the governor of Osun State.
The apex court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal which nullified the March 22 judgement of the Osun State election petition tribunal.
The tribunal had declared Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner of the September 2018 election.
The Supreme Court in a split judgement on Friday agreed substantially with the Court of Appeal which ruled that a majority judgement delivered at the tribunal was a nullity.
The court said the judge who had read the majority judgement at the tribunal, Peter Obiora, was evidently absent on February 6, following the documents before the court.
It said the failure of Mr Obiora to be present on that day meant that the tribunal lacked the authorities to have given any judgment on the matter.
Two of the seven members of the Supreme Court panel, however, disagreed with the ruling.
The Supreme Court ruling was read by Bode Rhodes-Vivour.
