TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Commercial activities paralysed on Saturday as aggrieved residents of Osun State took over the streets of major towns across the state to protest the judgement of the Election Petition Tribunal that declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Gboyega Oyetola as the winner of the July 16 governorship election.
The Point observed that business centres and shops were in the early hours of the weekend, under lock and key while major roads were blocked with several residents, majorly members of the Peoples Democratic Party, burning tyres in Ede, Ilesa, Iwo, Ile-Ife, Ila-Orangun, Ileogbo and in Osogbo, the state capital.
There had been pockets of reported attacks in Igbona and Ayetoro areas of Osogbo on Friday night, hours after the victory of Governor Ademola Adeleke was upturned by majority judgment of the panel.
The attacks and violent demonstrations were said to have been staged by some aggrieved persons.
Some security teams deployed to restore order to troubled areas had shot sporadically into the air to chase the hoodlums away.
Amid the melee, residents of the areas and their surroundings scampered for safety while traders and shop owners hurriedly closed businesses.
Meanwhile, the crisis resumed on Saturday as some roads were blocked while sounds of gunshots were heard at Ayetoro area of Osogbo.
At Oja-Oba area, some hoodlums sent motorists back and disallowed shop owners and traders from operating.
There were protests in Ilesa, Iwo, Ede and other towns as some residents and supporters of PDP said they came out in solidarity with Governor Adeleke stating that it was obvious the tribunal judgment was manipulated.
They called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the international community to step in and ensure that such the judgment did not stand.
“This type of judgment is dangerous to our democracy. It means that our votes will not count and justice can not be served. We call on President Muhammadu Buhari, United Nations and other international community to step in, such judgment must not stand,” one of the protesters said.
Some residents of Iwo and loyalists of Governor Oyetola held demonstration in celebration of the tribunal victory.
Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke, in his statewide address to the people of Osun, disclosed that his counsels have filed appeal against the tribunal judgement and that they had also written the Independent National Electoral Commission intimating it of the appeal and seeking non-implementation of the judgement until the determination of the Appeal.
Adeleke said tribunal’s claim of over-voting was unfounded and that the outcome was a “miscarriage of justice.”
“My good people of Osun state, we have all heard the split judgement of the governorship election tribunal. Two members of the Tribunal delivered two opposing judgements, the Chairman and the member one. The member 2, did not deliver any judgment, she abstained.
“The Chairman’s judgment affirmed the claim of over-voting, while the member one’s judgment agreed with our position as captured by the BVAS machines which is the primary source of accreditation data of true accreditation on the day of the election.
“The reality of my election as the Governor of Osun State is captured in the member one’s judgement. The claim of over-voting in the Chairman’s judgment was unfounded. This was clearly a miscarriage of justice. Based on the above, there was no majority judgment.
“My good people of Osun State, I am still your Governor. I have the right of appeal on the Chairman’s judgement and I have instructed my lawyers accordingly.
“You gave me your mandate, our election remains valid and by the grace of God, we will triumph at last. I call on you all to remain calm and go about your normal activities, peacefully. Please, remain law abiding. We have strong faith in God and in our judiciary”, he said.