ADELEKE: SPONSORED PROTESTS WON’T HELP YOU, SAYS THE APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State claims that Senator Ademola Adeleke, the state’s ousted governor, financed demonstrators to hold protests against the Tribunal’s decision in several areas of the state.

On Friday, the Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal in Oshogbo dismissed Adeleke and revoked the Certificate of Return that the Independent National Electoral Commission had given him (INEC).

Since Saturday, thousands of protesters have filled the state’s main thoroughfares to voice their complaints about the Justice Tertse Kume-led Tribunal that invalidated Adeleke’s election as governor.

In a statement over the weekend, the acting chairman of the Osun APC, Tajudeen Lawal, responded to the protests by saying that they could only damage Adeleke and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), cause rather than help it at the Appeal court.

“It was saddening that the ousted Governor Adeleke could be praising and commending his sponsored protesters who went out to cause trouble and violence to the people of the state under the pretense of protesting the tribunal judgment that was not in the PDP candidate’s favor,” Lawal added.

“Our analysis of the Adeleke-sponsored protests led us to the unambiguous conclusion that the ousted governor and his party are terrible losers who believe they can incite unjustified public sentiment to win unjustified favor from the public.

“I must explicitly clarify that your fundamental human right still entitles you to seek redress through the Court of Appeal rather than organizing violent protests in a few locations across the state.

The real election results of the July 16, 2022 governorship election have plainly proved that the PDP candidate has no mandate to flaunt, much less to claim any. According to Friday’s tribunal ruling, Adeleke is not permitted to speak about any mandate.

“It should be understood that the incidence of over-voting, the premise on which Adeleke was allegedly pronounced the victor by the INEC as proved by the tribunal, is nothing more than an unfair play that, if allowed unchecked, has the potential to create a very negative precedent for our democracy.

“Adeleke should model the sportsmanship and maturity shown by the APC and Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola who, after feeling deceived, chose a legitimate and legal manner to win today,” said the statement.