All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has congratulated Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun over the judgment of the state’s Governorship Election Petition Tribunal affirming his victory in the March poll.
Asiwaju Tinubu said the APC candidate truly deserved the victory, “despite the intimidation, harassment and violence unleashed on your numerous supporters and other shenanigans perpetrated by known opposition elements within and outside our party, APC”.
The tribunal, headed by Justice Yusuf Halilu, threw out the petition filed by Abdulkadir Adekunle Akinlade and the Allied People’s Movement (APM).
The judge held that the petitioners “not only failed but also irredeemably failed” to prove their allegations of over-voting and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
In a congratulatory letter to Abiodun, dated September 15, which he personally signed, Asiwaju Tinubu said: “Saturday’s judgment of the Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal affirming your electoral victory has further demonstrated that your election was indeed a true reflection of the wishes of your people.
“We were all living witnesses to the fact that despite the intimidation, harassment and violence unleashed on your numerous supporters and other shenanigans perpetrated by known opposition elements within and outside our party, APC, you emerged victorious because the people of Ogun stood by you.
“Undaunted by all of that, you ran a clean, peaceful, issues-based campaign. You were, by far, the most popular and most qualified of the governorship candidates, hence your election. You truly deserve your victory.
“This is now time to extend your hand of fellowship to the APM candidate and others who contested against you and indeed other stakeholders in the state. You must re-dedicate yourself to re-uniting the people and be the governor for all.
“Ogun State deserves development; Ogun State deserves industrialisation. Having made success in your private multi-sectoral entrepreneurial life, you are best placed to replicate this in Ogun. This you must do within the shortest possible time.
“Once again, I congratulate you and wish you God’s guidance in the daunting, but not insurmountable tasks, ahead of you.”
