Osun Rerun: ‘This Theft Of Adeleke’s Mandate Will Not Stand, We’re Going To Court’ – Saraki

Senate president Bukola Saraki has expressed his displeasure about the recently held Osun rerun election.

In a statement by the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) presidential hopeful on Friday, he described the process as ‘another display of the subversion of the will of the Osun people.’

According to Saraki, the re-run gubernatorial election in the State, was characterised by widespread voter intimidation, violence and harassment. He stated that accredited observers were denied access to polling units and duly registered voters were prevented from participating in the electoral process by thugs and compromised security agents.

Saraki said the rerun was needless and was only “designed as an avenue for the ruling party to perpetrate electoral fraud. The nature of these elections is an embarrassment to our democracy and casts an alarming pall on the institutions responsible for protecting the will of the Nigerian people as stated through their votes.”

See part of the statement below:-

It is surprising that the election where the two leading candidates were running neck-to-neck on Saturday — with the PDP candidate having an edge — four days later, as a result of manipulation and impossible conditions, the APC candidate has now been credited with most of the votes, while a paltry number of votes has been recorded for the PDP candidate.

It is important for Nigerians and the international community to insist that the hands of the clock should not be turned back in terms of the achievements we recorded in the last general elections.

We should not make a mockery of our democracy by conducting elections in the manner that the Osun Polls were conducted. The Osun election is a clear indication of how the 2019 election will be conducted.

It demonstrates that if we cannot conduct free, peaceful and fair elections in seven polling units spread across four local government areas of a state, then the conduct of the general elections in 774 local government areas across 36 states of the country is already endangered.

Saraki noted that his party will contest the outcome of the election in court, adding that victory will surely be theirs.

This theft of the mandate given to Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the elections, will not stand. Our party will immediately commence the legal process aimed at reclaiming the sacred mandate of the people of Osun State.

I would like to reassure members and supporters of our party, the PDP candidate, Senator Adeleke and the good people of Osun State that light shall always overcome darkness.

We have come this far after several months of dedication and hard work. I ask that we remain of good cheer, steadfast and committed to the cause.

Victory, no matter how delayed, will not be denied.

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