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Omisore surrenders as Supreme Court upholds Aregbesola’s victory – ‘I have accepted defeat’

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer in the Saturday, August 9, 2014 governorship election in Osun State, Otunba Iyiola Omisore, has reacted to the judgement of the Supreme Court delivered on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, which upheld the victory of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. He added that he has no choice than accept defeat so far the highest court in the land has spoken.

Speaking with ENCOMIUM Weekly on Sunday, May 31, 2015, via his spokesman, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, the engineer turned politician stressed that his party still remains a credible opposition to Aregbesola’s administration in the state.  He also wished the people of the Home of the Living Spring the best of luck.

“There is nothing else we can do so far the Supreme Court has decided on the case.  We wish all the people of Osun Sate the best under Aregbesola’s administration.  But PDP remains a credible opposition to the ruling APC in the state.  That’s just the situation of things right now.”

ENCOMIUM Weekly’s efforts to get Aregbesola’s reaction on the development, via his Director of Bureau de Publicity, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon couldn’t yield the desired result as the calls put through his mobile line were ignored.  But we got across to one of the APC chieftains in the state, Mr. Wole Adegbenjo who said, “We’re not surprised at all because it’s obvious that Omisore lost.  It’s only that he refused to accept defeat and move on.  Now, he has realized that the truth is constant.  Even, from day one, every right thinking Osun indigene knew he was heading nowhere.  He was defeated all through the legal means he explored.

“It’s not only a victory for APC but for all the people of Osun State.  And what happened has given us more confidence in the Nigerian judicial system.”

The Supreme Court had on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, dismissed the appeal brought before it by Omisore challenging the victory of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of the ruling APC.

However, delivering his judgement on the case, Justice John Fabiyi, who led a seven-man panel of the court upheld the judgement of the Appeal Court in Akure, Ondo State and the Osun Elections Petition Tribunal.  The Appeal Court and the tribunal had affirmed Aregbesola’s victory.

But the decision of these two legal bodies didn’t go down well with Omisore and PDP; hence, the decision to head for the Supreme Court.

In the lead judgement reportedly read by Justice C. C. Nweze, only one out of the seven issues brought before the court was against Aregbesola while the rest six were resolved in his favour.

He was, however, reported to have said all the justices thereafter unanimously decided that the appeal lacked merit and was dismissal bound.

On Saturday, August 9, 2014, Osun State held its governorship election which saw the incumbent governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola defeat PDP’s Omisore with 394,684 to 292,747 votes.  But the latter has been challenging the result of the election, via legal means, alleging gross malpractices.  The Ife born politician refused to concede defeat until Wednesday, May 27, 2015, when the final whistle was blown by the Supreme Court that the two appeals -SC/204/2015 and SC/204A/2015 were without merit and were dismissed.

TADE ASIFAT

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