Ahead of Saturday’s Osun governorship election, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, former vice president Atiku Abubakar, has asked the electorate in the state to resist a repeat of the 2018 experience where the party was allegedly rigged of its victory.
Atiku stated this during the PDP mega rally for its governorship candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, yesterday.
Besides Atiku, other party chieftains present at the rally held at the party secretariat were the national chairman of the party, Dr Iyocha Ayu, Atiku’s vice presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa, former Senate President Bukola Saraki and some PDP governors.
Addressing the mammoth crowd of party faithful and supporters, Atiku charged the Osun electorate to vote massively and ensure that their votes count.
Atiku who noted that Osun State was a PDP state insisted that PDP had suffered rigging in the past and “it should not be allowed to happen again.”
In a related development, the Adamawa-born Atiku said he understands Yoruba language and that he had a soft spot for the people.
In a statement he said, “I don’t speak Yoruba but I understand a bit of it. Some members of my family speak the language fluently.
“Of course, the Yoruba people are dear to my heart as other tribes in our country. But the Yoruba language has a unique quality that I admire in particular. It has the power of descriptiveness.
“By my understanding, the slogan of Imole as the brand identity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in the Osun State election could not have been more apt.
“Imole is not just light. Indeed, the closest English interpretation of it is “to illuminate”. And for that, it is no wonder why our gubernatorial candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, enjoys a groundswell of support amongst the esteemed people of the state across all localities and local governments.”
According to him, for the past 12 years, Osun, which was once a shining star of the South West geopolitical zone, had been thrown into a state of doldrums, but that PDP had come to return the state to its good times.
“Imole has come on a rescue mission to return Osun to its state of glory and splendour and I, Atiku Abubakar and all leaders of our great party, will be on ground in Osogbo to mobilise support for the success of our campaign.”
He told Osun voters that the choice was “between the people and the forces of darkness” that has held them hostage.
Also, speaking, the party chairman, Iyocha Ayu said that PDP had come to rescue Nigeria, and Osun State by extension, from bad government.
Ayu who noted that Osun is in darkness said light has come to illuminate the state and bring good government which he said can only be provided by PDP.
Senator Ademola Adeleke, who spoke shortly after he was presented the party flag by the national chairman, urged Osun people to vote massively for him for even development.
For grassroots development, Adeleke promised to grant local government administration total autonomy, adding that the era of deduction of local government allocation from federation account will be over with the advent of PDP administration in Osun.
He admonished Osun electorate not to sell their vote but to vote for him to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
Court Refuses To Disqualify APC, Oyetola From Osun Election
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking disqualification of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and Osun State governor, Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola, from tomorrow’s state governorship election.
Justice Inyang Ekwo dismissed the suit on six grounds, including that the plaintiff, a chieftain of APC, Moshood Olalekan Adeoti, failed to disclose any cause of action.
The judge held that the suit instituted by the former governorship aspirant constituted a gross abuse of court process and that the plaintiff did not exhaust internal mechanism for dispute resolution before rushing to court.
Justice Ekwo in a judgment upheld the arguments of Olusegun Jolaawo (SAN) that membership of the APC’S National Caretaker Extraordinary and Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) by governor Oyetola, on which the suit is predicated, is an ad-hoc body and not the real APC National Executive Committee (NEC) recognised by the party’s Constitution.
Adeoti had sought disqualification of the incumbent governor, Oyetola, from the gubernatorial poll alongside the party on the ground of failure to follow due process of law during the conduct of the primary election for the nomination of the gubernatorial candidate.
In the originating summons, Adeoti prayed the court to nullify Oyetola’s candidacy on the grounds that the governor contested in the February 19 primary election as a member of the APC’s National Caretaker Extraordinary and Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
The plaintiff said Oyetola’s action contravened the provisions of Section 222 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Article 31(iii) of the APC, October 2014 (as amended).
But the judge in the judgement held that CECPC was not the same as the office recognised by the APC Constitution upon which anybody can be disqualified.
Specifically, Justice Ekwo said that CECPC was a mere ad-hoc body put in place in the absence of the National Executive Committee known to law.
Besides, the Judge agreed that the issue of nomination of candidates for elective offices by political parties was an internal affair of parties which no court can inquire into except where expressly stated by law.
Justice Ekwo wondered why Adeoti resorted to court action after fully participating in the primary election, scored some votes and lost to Oyetola, adding that his action amounted to approbating and reprobating at the same time against the provisions of the law
The judge said that from the totally of the evidence placed before the court and questions raised for determination, the plaintiff did not disclose any cause of action.
Justice Ekwo subsequently dismissed the suit on six grounds.
PSC Deploys Officers To Monitor Policemen
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has dispatched staff monitors to the 30 local government areas of Osun State to monitor the conduct of policemen during the state governorship election tomorrow.
The commission will also be at the situation room of the Civil Society Organisations and the security control room at the Police State command headquarters in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State.
Spokesperson of the commission, Ikechukwu Ani said the first batch of the commission’s delegation arrived in Osun State on Tuesday, July 12, while the second batch was expected in the various local government areas today.
Meanwhile, the chairman PSC, Musiliu Smith, a retired inspector-general of police, urged policemen involved in the security of the elections to beat the record set during the recently held Ekiti governorship election that was widely adjudged to be free and fair.
He advised the staff of the commission to strive to also maintain a high level of commitment, adding that the Commission will not hesitate to punish any staff found wanting during the national assignment.
The police officers, he admonished, should work professionally and avoid all partisan tendencies during the elections.
The commission, he stated, had already released dedicated telephone numbers (08055606514; 08033345362; 07037158656) for interested Nigerians to call to complain of any infractions or commend exemplary conduct of police officers during the election.
Thugs, Cultists, Big Threat To Osun Guber, Says Yiaga
A Civil Society Organisation, Yiaga Africa, has warned that the activities of political thugs and cultists are threatening the peaceful conduct of the upcoming Osun gubernatorial election.
According to Yiaga Africa’s Watching The Vote (WTV) Pre-Election observation (PREO) in April 2022, insecurity and potential election day violence are imminent if not urgently tackled.
In a report signed by the executive director and board member, Samson Itodo and Ezenwa Nwagwu, respectively, Yiaga said the atmosphere in Osun State was already tense with reports, accusations and counter-accusations of physical attacks targeted at candidates and their supporters.
“Also, the increasing activities of political thugs and cultists in the state are no doubt capable of threatening the safety of personnel, materials, and citizens on election day.
“While we commend the civility and professionalism of security agencies in Ekiti and the critical role traditional rulers played in promoting peaceful elections, proactive measures must be taken to prevent the escalation of violence on election day. “Also, the security agencies need to deploy for the election with the utmost respect for neutrality, transparency, professionalism, competence, and accountability.”
According to them, upholding these principles will prevent incidents of violence on Election Day and secure lives and properties.
The report also urged the Nigerian Police as the lead agency in election security to ensure the local security outfit, Amotekun, was not engaged in any aspect of the election.
Yiaga Africa also commended the improvement in the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the Ekiti election, and expressed hope that INEC will build on the success in Ekiti by addressing shortfalls, capacity gaps, and technology challenges encountered in Ekiti and during the Osun mock exercise.
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