31st March 2009 Press Release
LAGOS AC WELCOMES VERDICT ON OSUN GOVERNORSHIP CASE.
The Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress has described the decision of the Ibadan division of the Appeal to order a re-trial of the governorship election case, instituted by the AC governorship candidate, Engr. Rauf Aregbesola against the present governor and his party, as a vindication of the fact that the Osun State Elections Tribunal headed by Justice Thomas Naron was heavily compromised. The party says that for the judiciary to reclaim its impeccable status, such tainted and corrupt judges like Naron and other members of the tribunal must be severely punished.
In a release issued in Lagos by the Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the AC, Joe Igbokwe, Lagos AC says that there were strong evidences to show that the Naron tribunal was heavily compromised to ignore the weighty evidences the AC presented at the tribunal. The party sees the Appeal Tribunal verdict as a victory to Aregbesola and the AC and a crushing blow to Oyinlola and the PDP who believed they have successfully crushed the truth on the Osun case.
“While we would have loved a situation where the Appeal Tribunal would have depended on the hefty evidences before it to give victory to Aregbesola who clearly defeated the incumbent governor on April 14, 2007, we would not fail to celebrate the decision given the elaborate attempt by Oyinlola to divert justice in this issue and ensure that Aregbesola’s case was killed prematurely without getting to its merits. We are convinced that the verdict itself would have shocked Oyinlola and his lawyers, who were engaged in an unholy and dubious scandal to compromise the tribunal members.
“Even as it stands to delay justice, we are pleased that at least, Oyinlola and the PDP are being forced to defend the dubious mandate they have been wielding for nearly two years now. It gives an impartial and untainted tribunal the opportunity to weigh the heavy evidence Aregbesola has assembled against that electoral fraud and assures all that there will be justice at the end of the day. We may not be surprised that this verdict will unleash another fresh bout of intrigues in Osun, as Oyinlola never tires of adopting these foul tactics to subdue the opposition in Osun State.
“We salute the integrity of the Appeal Tribunal and urge that measures be taken to fast-track the renewed case under the new and credible tribunal. We appeal to the envisaged tribunal to learn tremendous lessons from the shame the discredited Naron tribunal has brought to the judiciary and ensure that the Osun case is disposed with utmost sense of justice and fairplay. We want the in-coming Osun State Elections Tribunal to utilize the good lessons in reversing the heavily tainted Naron verdict to ensure that justice is done to all, no matter the pressure and inducements on it.
“We salute the doggedness and perseverance of Aregbesola and the AC who have endured several plots, persecutions and threats to get this important judicial victory. We salute his undying spirit and courage in the face of the most dangerous persecution by Oyinlola and his government. We assure him that he would face greater threats, as Oyinlola gets more desperate in the face of possible rustication. We want him to remain firm and steadfast and ensure that the mandate of the people of Osun State is not abandoned until justice is done.”
Joe Igbokwe.
Publicity Secretary,
Lagos AC
