PDP leaders sulk as Mimiko supporters step up celebration
PEOPLES Democratic Party stalwarts in Ondo State were still in a rude shock on Saturday as their Labour Party counterparts continued their celebration over the ruling of the state election tribunal on Friday.
As at press time, many PDP leaders believed that the judgment was a travesty of justice and restated their position to head for the Court of Appeal.
LP governorship candidate, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, was declared as the duly elected Governor of Ondo State by the Justice Garba Nabaruma-led election petitions tribunal.
Although security has been relaxed, celebrations continued late night on Friday.
Our correspondent gathered that people ate and drank throughout the night at most beer parlours in Ondo town where Mimiko comes from.
There were celebrations in some big hotels as his supporters staged all night parties.
But there was gloom in the camp of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Musicians, who were invited to stage a show to celebrate Agagu‘s anticipated victory, hurriedly packed their instruments as the tribunal declared the petitioner the duly elected governor.
Also, cows meant for celebration by PDP supporters were said to have suddenly disappeared following the shock inflicted on them by the judgement.
The Minister of Culture and Tourism, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) who was present at the tribunal said that the tribunal erred.
He explained, ”The judgement was shocking and it was a great disappointment. I was in this state when the election took place. There was peaceful election in most parts of the state.”
All the allegations contained in the petition were never proven. The petitioner failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.
“The judgement of the tribunal clearly and violently contradicted the earlier ones given by the same tribunal.”
Kayode said that Agagu would beef up his legal team with more senior lawyers who would prove his case at the appeal level.
He added that more senior lawyers would offer free legal services to Agagu just to prove that the Nabaruma headed panel was wrong.
He said that he was confident that the judgement would be upturned at the appellate court.
He said that he would not accuse the tribunal of bribery but he held that the panel was wrong in arriving at its decision to send Agagu packing.
“I cannot attack the panel members. But they are wrong! You know that every judge has a right to be wrong. There is no big deal about being wrong, the panel was wrong in this case and the Court of Appeal will correct the wrongs,” he said.
The State Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Olusola Oludipe, also condemned the verdict.
Oludipe said, ”The position of our party is that the judgment is unacceptable and it is rejected in its entirety, we have every reason to believe that the judgment was not well considered. It was lacking in soundness.
”The evidences that we adduced and canvassed before the tribunal were not appraised, evaluated and correct deductions made before the judgment was arrived at. We have every reason to believe that we will succeed at the level of appeal.
“In the light of the evidence before the court, what was read fell short of standard of balance and sound judgement.”
Members of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta joined in hailing the ruling of the tribunal.
The spokesman of the Ondo State chapter of MEND who identified himself as Ajija said this in text messages sent to journalists on Friday night.
The message read, ”The council of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta is vindicated. The tribunal‘s declarative judgement has actually corroborated our last year‘s declaration that the April 14,2007 gubernatorial election was rigged for Dr. Agagu.
“The verdict has now shown that the election was rigged for Dr. Agagu. Kudos to the judiciary which is the last hope of the common man. Congratulations Mimiko.”
It will be recalled that the militants last year demanded N500m from Agagu. They said that the money was to enable them to demobilise recruited militants who operated during the April 14 poll.The governor has since denied having any business with the militants.
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