The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Iyorchia Ayu, Sunday said the victory of Ademola Adeleke in the Osun Governorship election is a sign of what is to come in 2023.
Reacting to the declaration of the result on Sunday, Ayu in a statement said the “election was a referendum on the disastrous All Progressives Congress (APC) stewardship and proves conclusively that Nigerians want PDP back. And, indeed, PDP is coming!”
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The Chairman also said twelve years ago, the “PDP lost Osun state – not through the ballot box – but via a judicial coup (ruling).
“Four years ago, the PDP won the governorship, but our candidate, Sen. Adeleke, was robbed of victory in broad daylight. We went back to the drawing board, and today, we have reclaimed our victory.”
The opposition leader commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for “toeing the path of neutrality and ensuring that the votes counted.
“We call on all PDP members and all Nigerians to join the moving PDP train. Don’t be left behind. Our next destination is Aso Villa.
“With PDP, Nigeria shall rise again. Indeed, she is already rising. Osun people have spoken. The rest of Nigeria shall speak with a resounding voice on 25th February 2023.”
Part of the statement also thanked Osun people for refusing to be intimidated, to be bought over “with foodstuffs and 30 silver coins. You said no to thuggery and vote fraud. You have done well.
“I thank the PDP National Campaign Council for the Osun State Governorship Election, headed by HE Gov. Duoye Diri, for a superlative performance. I thank our Vice Presidential Candidate Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa for tireless work. PDP is proud of all of you.
“You have renewed the quit notice on the reigning APC Federal government,” he said.
Osun election, a sign – Lagos PDP chair
On his part, the Lagos State Chairman of the PDP, Mr Philips Aivoji, said INEC’s conduct and outcome of Saturday’s governorship election is a sign that Nigeria shall be great again.
Aivoji said: “That is the voice of the people; that is what the people want. Despite the power of the incumbent and against all odds, the people stood their ground.
“This is a sign that Nigeria shall be great again.
“We hope things will continue like this where people will come out and vote for whomsoever they want and their will won’t be subverted. This is the way we can build Nigeria.”
The chairman said that PDP’s electoral victory in Osun was an indication of great hope for PDP in 2023.
The PDP’s candidate, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, defeated the incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola to emerge the winner.
INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said that Adeleke polled 403,371 votes to defeat his closet rival, Oyetola, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who scored 375,027 votes.
The PDP won in 17 local government areas, while APC won in 13.
Election observers have however complained of massive vote-buying, especially by the APC and the PDP.
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