We would get back from this, PDP reacts to tribunal’s judgement, set for appeal

The Deputy Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last governorship election in Ogun State, Abdulkabir Akinlade, has said that he and his principal, Oladipupo Adebutu, will appeal the judgment of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

The tribunal had on Saturday struck out the petition filed against the victory of Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressive Congress by Adebutu and the PDP

Reacting to the judgement in a statement signed by his media aide, Azeez Adelani, and made available to journalists on Sunday, Akinlade stated that the judgment of the tribunal was just a temporary setback that his party and principal would get back from.

The statement read in part, “The PDP Deputy Governorship candidate in the 2023 Ogun State Gubernatorial Election, Hon. Adekunle Abdulkabir Akinlade while reacting to the state election petition tribunal judgment delivered in favor of Gov. Dapo Abiodun on the 30th of September 2023, said that, “as a people and party, we must take solace in three fact’s: first, that the Tribunal is the court of first instance, secondly, that we are blessed with a resolute leader and lastly, that time, which is the determinant of all things, is on our side.”

It read further, “Hon. Akinlade who contested against the incumbent governor in 2019, further stated that every bruise must be treated as a mark for improvement. He said that according the the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, it is not how many times a man falls or fails that matters, but his ability to rise each time, learn from his mistakes and forge ahead.

“In 2022, they threw everything they had at us, got our candidates and party (PDP) removed from INEC list with the intention of stopping us from participating in the 2023 general elections, they went to town saying that there was no opposition in Ogun State, but we turned to God, fought courageously and the courts reinstated us. Fast forward to March 2023, they arrested our members and blackmailed and threatened our leader, but we prevailed at the polls.

“Against all odds and intents, we pushed through the obstacles placed before us and called 94 witnesses including experts, presented over 200,000 certified documents in evidence, and argued our case before the election petition tribunal efficiently. We said from inception that the alleged issue of vote buying was nothing more than a ploy to distract us and the panel mercifully ruled in our favour yesterday, 30th September 2023.

“As we commence the process of filling our notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal, we assure our teaming supporters and the good people of Ogun State that we will not relent in our resolve to get justice and that we will explore and deploy every resources at our disposal to right this injustice in the collective interest of our dear state.”

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ValidViewNetwork had reported that the 3-man panel led by Hamidu Kunaza on Saturday night upheld the victory of Abiodun as declared by INEC after the March 18 governorship election in the state.

Delivering the 11-hour judgment, the Chairman of the Tribunal, said the petitioner, the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate in the election, Ladipupo Adebutu, failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.