President Muhammadu Buhari has urged candidates of forty-eight political parties that participated in the Osun state governorship election to seek court redress should they disagree with the result of the election.
Candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) Gboyega Oyetola was declared the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after polling 255,505 votes compared to 255, 023 votes of the candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Ademola Adeleke.
Although, Adeleke polled the highest votes in the election held on Saturday 22 September with 254, 698, with APC’s Oyetola polling 254, 345, but was declared inconclusive by INEC due to the 353 margin being lesser than 2,637 cancelled in seven polling units.
However, the APC candidate won the conclusive rerun election held on Thursday, September 27, in Ife-North, Ife-South and Osogbo local governments.
After the declaration of the result by INEC, the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) rejected the outcome of the Osun State governorship supplementary election and called for its cancellation and the declaration of its candidate, Adeleke, as the winner.
“Today is a black day for Nigeria. The right of the citizens to come out and vote has been trampled upon. The entire state, wards and units have been seized by security agencies acting on behalf of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to make sure the election is rigged by all means,” PDP chairman Uche Secondus said in a press conference in Abuja.
Also, PDP candidate Ademola Adeleke, after the announcement of the results vowed to retrieve his ‘stolen mandate’ from Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress at the election petition tribunal.
But, President Muhammadu Buhari has asked persons and parties unsatisfied by the outcome of the election to go to the court of election tribunal.
"President Buhari commends the maturity, loyalty and courage of all contestants in putting in their best to be elected to serve the state, urging them to seek redress in court, where they disagree with the outcome,” Buhari’s media aide Garba Shehu said in a congratulatory statement.
“President Muhammadu Buhari congratulates the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Governor-elect of Osun State, Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola, for winning the keenly contested governorship election.”
While the opposition party and some section of observers questioned the fairness in the conduct of the election, Buhari described the exercise as successful.
“President Buhari affirms that the successful election in the State further strengthens the democratic culture in the country, extolling INEC for, once again, making the country proud.”
President Buhari urged the “Governor-elect to always remember that the electorate expects unreserved commitment to delivering results that directly impact their lives and families.”
He also commended all contestants in the election for putting in their best to be elected to serve the state.