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OSUN GUBER TUSSLE UPDATE: OMISORE reacts to tribunal’s verdict, ‘Struggle continues’

THE flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the keenly contested Saturday, August 9, 2014 governorship election in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore has reacted to the judgement of the Election Petition Tribunal delivered on Friday, February 6, 2015, in Osogbo in favour of incumbent governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.  He added that the verdict is still contestable as he’s planning to take the case to an appeal panel.

Speaking with ENCOMIUM Weekly on Saturday, February 7, 2015, via his Director of Publicity, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, the Ife-born politician expressed dissatisfaction over the judgement, maintaining the struggle continues.  “What kind of reaction do you still expect?  We’re not satisfied, of course.  And by next week, we’re taking the case to an appeal panel to look into it.  It’s our right to reclaim the stolen mandate from the ruling All Progressives Congress candidate, Rauf Aregbesola.  Struggle continues and we’re not relenting at all until we achieve the desired goal.”

ENCOMIUM Weekly also sought Aregbesola’s reaction on the victory but we couldn’t reach his Director of Bureau de Publicity, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon as his mobile line was unavailable.  We also sent him a text but there was no response as at press time.

However, Mr. Wole Adegbenjo, an APC chieftain from Olaoluwa Local Government reacted, “Yes, it’s going to be victory forever for our party.  The victory at the tribunal was not for Aregbesola alone but all the people of Osun State.

“Right from time, Omisore himself knew he was only wasting time, resources and energy pursuing a wrong course.  He is only chasing shadows.  If we throw up a knife 10 times, it will surely lay flat when each time it lands.  So, why the need for Omisore and PDP to continue with the case that lacks merit.  I think he said he has evidence of rigging in about 17 local governments, out of which he lost out in 15.  So, the tribunal’s decision is firm and commendable.  And if he likes, he should head to the Supreme Court, he will still lose out.”

Omisore had dragged Governor Aregbesola to the tribunal since the outcome of the Saturday, August 9, 2014 governorship election which was won by Aregbesola.  The PDP candidate, who came second in the election with 292,747 votes as against Aregbesola’s 394,684 votes, prayed the tribunal to sack the governor and pronounce him the winner of the poll. But this was, however, turned down by the tribunal headed by Justice Elizabeth Ipejime and since, the camp of the engineer-turned-politician has been battling the defeat, hoping that favour will come its way at the appeal panel.

–               Stories by TADE ASIFAT

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