The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, has described the defeat of the party in Osun State, 12 years ago, as a judicial coup.
Ayu said that the convincing win of the party’s candidate at the just-concluded governorship poll, with 403,371 votes, against Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s 375,027 votes, was enough fact of what transpired in the past.
The National Chairman claimed that four years ago, the PDP also won the governorship election, but the mandate of its candidate was robbed of victory in broad daylight.
The remarks were in the aftermath of the Osun governorship election conducted on July 16, 2022, where the party emerged victorious.
In a statement signed by the chairman on Sunday, he stated that “a few hours ago, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Sen. Ademola Adeleke as duly elected.
“12 years ago, specifically on November 26, 2010, the PDP lost Osun State – not through the ballot box – but via a judicial coup (ruling).
“A few days ago, the defeated and outgoing governor, Adegboyega Oyetola and his party, the All Progressives Congress, did everything to frustrate us. This included denying us the use of any public facility in the state capital for our mega-rally. We had to use the party’s state secretariat. As it were, we couldn’t have access to the stadium, but we had access to the people’s hearts, loyalty, and votes.”
He stated that the Osun people had spoken, and Nigeria would speak too, saying that the coup by the ruling truncated the action-packed government of Olagunsoye Oyinlola, adding that since then, Osun had been frozen in executive misgovernance and undergrowth.
The chairman further said that the victory was not just a day of double restoration but rather a day of redemption as well, saying that it restored the PDP to power and redeemed the Osun people from the menace of mediocrity, empty promises, and excuses.
He congratulated the winner, Adeleke, the people of the state, and every party stakeholder who stood with the party in action, prayers, and hope, adding that they had kept faith with the PDP, refused to be intimidated, refused to be bought over with foodstuffs and 30 silver coins, and said no to thuggery and electoral fraud.
He appreciated the PDP National Campaign Council for the Osun State Governorship Election, led by Bayelsa State Governor Duoye Diri, for a superlative performance.
He commended the vice-presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, for tireless work; and INEC as well as security agencies for towing the path of neutrality and ensuring that the votes counted.
Continuing, he stressed that they had assisted to return the PDP to power, and hope for Osun State.
“This election was a referendum on the disastrous APC stewardship and proves that Nigerians want the PDP back. And, indeed, the PDP is coming. The task before us now is to transit from opposition to governance.”
