Former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed solidarity with PDP candidate in last year’s Osun State governorship election, Ademola Adeleke, after the Supreme Court on Friday upheld the victory of Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The apex court in a majority judgment of 5 to 2 upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja which nullified the judgment of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on the grounds that the tribunal was not properly constituted in regards to numbers. It therefore dismissed the case filed by the PDP candidate.
The majority decision which was delivered by Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, agreed with the lower court that the absence of Justice Peter Obiorah from the proceedings of February 6, who delivered the lead judgment proved fatal to the case of the appellants.
Atiku in a statement on Friday said “I join with people of goodwill all over Nigeria to say to Senator Ademola Adeleke, and the people of the great state of Osun, that we stand with them in good times and in difficult days”.
“The Supreme Court has ruled and because of its judicial finality, the legal case is over. However, the love, acceptance and endorsement that the people of Osun bestowed on both Senator Adeleke and the Peoples Democratic Party is not over and cannot be overlooked.
“Those who think this is the end of the road for Senator Adeleke and the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun, are greatly mistaken. This is not the end. Not even the beginning of the end. No. Today marks the continued ascendancy of Senator Adeleke and his party in the hearts and minds of his people.
“They had expected that the progress and development that the Adeleke family had consistently brought to Osun will be translated to their governance. That hope is not dead. Only delayed.
“I extend my right hand of brotherhood to Senator Adeleke in all his future endeavours and I assure the good people of the state of Osun that the Peoples Democratic Party remembers their love and acceptance and will never forget to stand by them no matter the situation.
“Finally, I urge the nation’s judiciary to take a pulse of the nation and reflect it. In their hands, God has placed a great responsibility. The duty to ensure that justice is done, irrespective of the pressure to do otherwise, by the powers that be.”
