Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Hon. Gold Adesola Adedayo has said that it would be difficult for opposition and litigants challenging the victory of the Governor-elect ,Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji in the last gubernatorial poll to establish cases of rigging.
On the case filed by the Social Democratic party’s candidate at the Election Petitions Tribunal, Engr. Segun Oni, the APC chieftain said “Segun Oni is gradually becoming a serial litigant against APC. In 2018, he contested Governor Fayemi’s emergence as party’s candidate and failed and this will automatically toe the same line. History shall repeat itself”, Adedayo predicted.
Adedayo ,therefore disclosed lthat opposition acks probative and credible evidence to prove cases of electoral heist against APC, predicting that the Judicial battle will end in futility.
Adedayo urged party members against being despair and disillusioned over the matters, saying Oyebanji’s was popularly elected by party members and Ekiti voters and stands a good chance of triumphing over his traducers in courts.
A federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, had last week Thursday reserved judgement till August 4, 2022, in a case filed by Ojo, who came second in the primary, seeking a court’s judgement declaring him validly elected candidate.
In the same fashion, Oni had filed a case before Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led Tribunal, craving the leave of court for total nullification of Oyebanji’s victory, and subsequently declare him the actual winner.
Giving hope to the party members in the cases that had thrown jitters into Ekiti APC , Adedayo, in a statement on Sunday, was upbeat that victory is sure for the governor-elect in the cases.
The ex-National Assembly’s Senior Legislative Aide added that Oyebanji’s popularity and acceptability in APC resonated across Ekiti on June 18, with the resounding victory accorded him by Ekiti voters over his opponents.
Adedayo stated that the foregoing remained a strong and potent testimonial to the fact that Oyebanji emerged via the popular will of the party faithful, and this he opined made his emergence credible and hard to reverse.
The Osun Ekiti, Moba Local Government Area’s born politician, said contending Oyebanji’s emergence in court shouldn’t create a lugubrious mood and anxiety to anyone, saying all lovers of democracy knew the preferred aspirant among the governorship contestants in APC.
“There is no cause for alarm, victory is certain. Nothing can be rules out in any political contest, but we knew the most popular and most acceptable among the aspirants in APC. There was no gainsaying the fact that Oyebanji was the best candidate for that poll and the party went for him.
“His manner of emergence remains the most credible in trajectory of party’s primaries in Ekiti. He was not nominated by a few powerful and imposing individuals, but by all party faithful in a credible Direct Primary Mode.
“Most exhilarating was the fact that no one could cite cases of rigging or vote buying in the primary, because it was all-inclusive, all the party’s card-carrying members voted and this further buoyed the credibility and manner at which he clinched the gubernatorial flag.
“I have that unwavering hope and insight that the coming judgement will further lend credence that Hon. Oyebanji was the preferred candidate popularly elected and handed with the party’s flag in the January 27, 2022 APC governorship primary in Ekiti”, he said.
Adedayo said Segun Oni had lost many cases against Governor Kayode Fayemi and APC in the past and that the current litigation will be dismissed for being puerile and lacking the legal basis to contest such a credible election.