A YOUTH leader, Comrade Anjorin Tope Victor (aka Omitogun) has congratulated Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke over his recent victory at the Court of Appeal in Abuja which upheld Adeleke’s election as the authentic governor of the state.
Omitogun, an Industrial Chemist from Ekiti State University, also commended Governor Adeleke for running a dynamic government in Osun, saying that the people of the state are now enjoying the dividends of democracy.
He added that the victory of Adeleke at the appellate court truly reflected the wishes of the Osun people who freely elected the governor for positive change.
Omitogun, who is also the CEO of Omitogun Construction Construction Company Limited, stated this in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists on Wednesday.
He said, “Governor Adeleke is the choice of the Osun people and the Court of Appeal was right in validating his election. He won the majority votes during the governorship election while Osun people freely gave him the mandate to govern them for positive development.
“Don’t forget that there was spontaneous jubilation in Osun State shortly after the Court of Appeal delivered the landmark judgment, thereby setting aside verdict the Election Petitions Tribunal.
“It is refreshing to note that the appellate court took the decision after critical examination of the facts before it and upheld the election of Governor Adeleke.
“I wish to state with high sense of responsibility that Governor Adeleke is running an inclusive government and he is committed to the yearnings and aspirations of the youths and the elderly and he will deliver on his promises to the people.
“I’m also using this opportunity to appeal to all stakeholders to join Governor Adeleke in consolidating his achievements and move the state forward.
“It is instructive to note that the Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Friday, March 24, 2023, set aside the verdict of the Osun State Election Petitions Tribunal that annulled the election of Ademola Adeleke as the governor of the state.
In a unanimous judgment a three-member panel of Justices, held that Adeleke won the 16 July 2022 governorship election.
In its lead judgement read by Justice Mohammed Lawal, the appellate court also awarded N500, 000 cost against the APC and its candidate, Gboyega Oyetola.
Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 403,371 votes to defeat the former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who got 375,027 votes in the July 16, 2022 election.
Oyetola, the immediate-past governor of the state, who came second had filed a petition at the Osun State Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo, challenging Adeleke’s victory.
The Tribunal had upheld the allegation of over-voting in the areas won by Adeleke and consequently, declared Oyetola the winner of the poll after deducting “unlawful votes” from the PDP’s scores.
But Adeleke had appealed against the decision of the lower court, urging it to set aside the Tribunal’s decision and re-affirm his victory.
In its landmark judgment, the Court of Appeal held that the tribunal was “wrong to reach the conclusion that there was over-voting during the state governorship election held on 16 July 2022.”