In response to Agboola Ajayi’s recent assertion that members of the APC knew the tribunal’s decision in advance, which is why they were celebrating in the streets of Akure, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has asked the PDP candidate for the state’s most recent gubernatorial election to issue an apology.
According to reports, on June 4, the tribunal confirmed Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the APC candidate, as the winner of the race.
Citing ineptitude, lack of merit, and diligence as justifications, the three-member tribunal, presided over by Justice Benson Ogbu, unanimously dismissed the applications submitted by Ajayi and other petitioners.
Additionally, the tribunal described the petitions as pointless.
APC members and supporters celebrated in the streets of Akure, the state capital, when the tribunal’s decision was in their favor. However, PDP candidate Ajayi said that their celebrations implied they knew about the outcome beforehand.
Therefore, he has promised to appeal the state election petition tribunal’s award.
Ajayi, the PDP candidate, said in a statement issued on Tuesday that the party is still considering the ruling but is skeptical about it.
The honorable justices’ findings and conclusions were based on a premise that, in our judgment, did not properly analyze the specifics of the evidence and exhibits that were presented to the tribunal during its sitting, according to Agboola, who stated that due cognisance and careful attention had been given to it.
Therefore, to put it mildly, we are sad that justice was not served at that level. However, we are not disheartened and will continue to work to guarantee that justice is delivered in this case as well as that honesty starts to win out in our polling process.
Therefore, we reiterate our decision to challenge the tribunal’s decision in the Court of Appeal in order to undermine our rights and aspirations to strengthen our dedication to the legal system.
“This is what we do in spite of the evident difficulties that Nigeria’s judiciary is facing right now.”
In addition to saying that justice would prevail in the state and the country, he urged party members and supporters not to get tired.
An Ignorance of the Democratic Process
But in a quick reaction to Ajayi’s claims, the Ondo APC demanded a complete apology to the judiciary as well as to the many people who cast ballots.
In a statement sent by Steve Otaloro, the party’s director of media and publicity, the party called the claim that party members were aware of the ruling beforehand “an unfortunate comment that constitutes an unwarranted attack on the integrity of Nigeria’s judicial system.”
However, the APC characterized Ajayi’s implication as disrespecting the democratic process that the electorate participated in during the most recent governorship election, in addition to disparaging the courts’ diligence and hard work.
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“We urge the PDP to provide an unconditional apologies to the Nigerian judiciary and the thousands of voters who cast ballots in the election, which saw Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa win an extraordinarily large majority.
The PDP’s unhappiness is clearly rooted in their failure to obtain a favorable ruling, which they had anticipated would enable them to usurp the APC’s mandate from the voters.
Their allegations of judicial challenges are only a response to their electoral defeat, exposing a pattern of behavior in which the PDP only gives the judiciary kudos when it serves their objectives.
“They would have surely applauded the very system they now try to demonize if the verdict had gone in their favor,” the ruling party said.
