The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun says it received the supreme court verdict, which affirmed Governor Ademola Adeleke as the winner of July 16, 2022, with sadness.

This is stated by Tajudeen Lawal, the party’s acting chairman, on Tuesday in Oshogbo.

Mr Lawal said the Supreme Court decision was final and could not be challenged in any other court of the land.

He said that as a democratic political body that solely believed in the rule of law, there was no way the party could fault the judgment of the Supreme Court as the highest court in the land, “even though we are not happy with the judicial decision.”

“While we are congratulating the beneficiary of the judgment, we make bold to state that we shall not be found wanting in playing our expected opposition roles to keep the government on its toes,” the APC chieftain explained. “The members and supporters of our party should refuse to be downcast with the current political situation in the state, as the nature of politics is that one does not win all the time.”

Mr Lawal added, “The prevailing condition of the winner(s) of today does not make him the perpetual winner, as the political office which was contested for is a tenured one for a period of four years, after which we shall have the opportunity to slug it out with those who are rejoicing over today’s victory.”

However, the APC chair in Osun stressed that “our party and our candidate, former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, might have lost the election as it was pronounced by the apex court of the land, but it is visible to the court of the public that they never lost the battle.

Mr Lawal stated, “That Osun state is a common patrimony is the reason we are assuring the PDP and the government that we shall be meeting in the trenches when it is constitutionally ripe to do so. The way forward for our party shall be made available to the esteemed members and supporters soonest.”

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which on March 24 had affirmed Mr Adeleke’s victory.

The Osun tribunal had on January 27 annulled Mr Adeleke’s victory and declared Gboyega Oyetola of All Progressives Congress as the election winner after the Independent National Electoral Commission had returned Mr Adeleke as the winner.

(NAN)