Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in March 9, 2019 election in Oyo State, Oloye Bayo Adelabu, has finally reacted to Monday’s verdict of the court of appeal.
The 49-year old said the judgement of the appellate court has rekindled his hope in the electoral and judicial processes.
Adelabu had gone to the tribunal to seek redress over declaration of Engr. Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the duly elected governor of the state. The tribunal would later dismiss Adelabu’s petition. Not satisfied, Adelabu had approached the appellate court.
It would be recalled that the appelate court had caused confusion in its ruling. The court had, after saying that it would have ordered a retrial of Adelabu’s petition if time had permitted, said that status quo before the tribunal be maintained. The implication is that Makinde would continue as governor.
However, the two parties are not done yet. The battle is shifting to the Supreme Court.
In his reaction titled ‘I have a date with history,’ the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, explained that “The pronouncement made by the Election Appeal Tribunal on our challenge of the ruling of the lower Tribunal on Monday has further rekindled our hope in both the electoral and judicial processes in our march to keep a date with history.
“When our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presented me as her standard bearer in the 2019 gubernatorial election in Oyo State, we never wavered in our conviction that the good people of the state knew that I was best candidate among the lots that came out to seek their mandate.
“But we never took this for granted as we worked tirelessly round the clock to showcase our blueprint to turn the fortunes of our dear state around for the better.
“It is on record that we ran the most organised and issue-driven campaign and our people, having been convinced of our ability to walk the talk freely gave me their mandate in the election.
“However, the agents of darkness perfected the plan to steal this mandate, hence our recourse to the judiciary to proof their wrongdoing.
“The lower Tribunal, which concerned itself with technicalities rather with the substance of our argument ruled otherwise.
“Now that the Appeal Court has set the tone of righting the wrong, I appeal to the good people of Oyo State to hold the peace and go about their lawful activities as we approach the Supreme Court to validate your victory.
“After the darkness, no matter how long it takes, comes sunshine. Victory is certain for us and the mass of the people of our state,” he added in the statement personally signed by him.
