On Wednesday, August 27, 2014, the Osun state election petitions tribunal granted the request by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to inspect the materials used for the gubernatorial elections which was held on Saturday, August 9, 2014.
The legal team of the PDP flag bearer at the Osun polls, Iyiola Omisore led by Ojo Williams enthused that they had the intentions of ridding the state from the “shackles of bondage, exploitation and political demagoguery”
Both political parties had requested an order from the tribunal to give the authorization to obtain and inspect the certified true copy of documents used in the conduct of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
Thisday reports:
In paragraph two of the PDP application, the party is seeking an order of the tribunal to direct the third respondent (INEC) and its agents to permit the applicant to inspect and conduct forensic analysis on the electoral documents used for the governorship election in the state and receive from the respondent the CTC of all INEC documents.
The third prayer of the PDP read: “To permit the applicants to inspect and examine all used and unused ballot papers and to scan same by electronic processes as well as to take CTC of same from the custody of the INEC.
Meanwhile, APC is seeking an order to enable it conduct both manual and biometric examination of ballot papers used in the said election in order to effectively defend any petition and object to a number of votes in certain local government areas.
The PDP and its candidate, Omisore, had joined the governor of the state and winner of the Saturday, August 9, 2014 election, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, his party, APC and INEC in their petition.
Also, the APC joined INEC, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and the State Returning Officer as respondents.
While Mr. Afolabi Fashanu led Messrs Nathaniel Oke, Chief Adeogun, I. T. Tewogbade, Kose Adewole and Muri Adebona for PDP, Mr. Kunle Adegoke led APC with Messrs Yomi Aliyu, Daud Akinloye, Taiwo Awokunle, M. A. Ademoye and Mrs. Musleemat Nagode.
The three-man panel of the tribunal, Justice I. M. Bako, Justice Awulo and Justice Benson, unanimously granted the prayers of the parties and granted them an order as sought.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of the tribunal, Mr. Adamu Mohammed Aliyu, said the 21 days required by law to file the petition would expire on Saturday, August 30, 2014.
Aliyu, who also hinted that the aggrieved parties may come today to file their petition, added that the motion ex-parte does not affect the law on the expiration of the petition.
However, William who spoke at a press conference, noted that the team also resolved to challenge the charade and monumental fraud and claim of the resounding victory was not borne of any desire than to claim is the PDP right.
He remarked that the truth of the matter already unearthed by the team of the legal and forensic experts was that the plotting, planning, execution and returning Governor Rauf Aregbesola started years back.
According to him, “the former Electoral Commissioner, Dr, Rufus Akeju, until his forced leave, was there working hands in gloves with the APC to tamper and tinker with the compilation of his open ended voters’
register, superintend the recruit of miscreants and APC members on government pay roll as ad hoc staff, organised non indigenes from across the Yorubaland and beyond.”
William also stressed that he had proof that contractors were hired from Lagos to ferry people from Lagos to use unclaimed voters’ cards to vote for Aregbesola apart from several acts of corruption, malpractices, impersonation of electoral officials by Aregbesola’s O,YES Cadets
He also alleged that fake ballot papers thumb printed on the night of the election at certain locations in Osogbo, Ilesa, Iragbiji, Ifelodun, Iwo, Ejigbo and Ede were recorded.
William, who pledged to reclaim Osun from APC and resolve all impasse politically, appealed to Inspector -General of Police (IG) to call his men to order and prosecute cases of assault, bribery and arrests of APC members during the election.
