BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti has applauded Wednesday’s Appeal Court verdict that upheld the sacking Senator Dayo Adeyeye of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in favour of PDP’s Senator Abiodun Olujimi.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Jackson Adebayo, in Ado Ekiti, the PDP hailed the judiciary for upholding the victory of its candidate, Senator Olujimi, representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, in the February 23, 2019 election.
However, the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC) has rejected the judgment, describing it as a rape on the mandate freely given by Ekiti electorate to the APC Senator.
But the PDP insisted the Tribunal and the Appeal Court in Kaduna judgment did not come to it as a surprise
According to the PDP spokesman, this is because results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not reflect the true votes cast during the poll.
The Party said by declaring Senator Olujimi as winner, the judiciary has corrected the wrong INEC did to Ekiti people.
“We congratulate all members of our party in the state and particularly congratulate Sen. Biodun Olujimi for her courage to fight the battle to a victorious, logical conclusion,” the statement said, while urging all PDP leaders and members to see the victory as an act of God.
Pleading for corporation from all stakeholders to move the party forward, the PDP spokesman said; “We want to assure all our members that with the victory of Senator Olujimi there is a great future for the Party. What we just need is to walk in unison towards subsequent elections in the State.”
Similarly, the PDP spokesman charged Ekiti people to go about their normal businesses rather than taking laws into their hand over the judgment.
On its part, the APC, in a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Sam Oluwalana, said the verdict did not reflect the wishes of people of the Ekiti South Senatorial District.
Slamming the Appeal Court ruling sacking the Senate spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye, the APC said; “The judgment, delivered earlier today can best be described as a travesty of Justice and robbing Peter to pay Paul.”
Oluwalana stated that the short period spent by Adeyeye in the Senate proved indelible and remarkable for the people of Ekiti South and the state in general.
Oluwalana, who lauded Adeyeye’s exemplary traits while in the Red chamber, said; “We commend Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who was highly-revered by his colleagues in the upper chambers, for the exemplary leadership, which he exhibited within the short period he spent in the Senate
“We are proud of his achievements during the period, as he was able to manage information outflow without any scandal in the Senate,” Oluwalana, who is also the Senior Special Assistant, Media, Party Matters to the State governor, said.
He also counseled the people not to be discouraged by the court judgment, urging them to rather continue in their support for the APC in the state in its quest to turn around the mismanaged economy of the state by immediate past regime.
