The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it is heading to court to quash what it termed “illegal declaration” of last Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, as inconclusive.
The party in a statement on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, argued that its candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke won the election and should be declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The party also demanded arrest of the Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Joseph Fuwape, for allegedly succumbing to pressure by the APC and declaring “a decided election” as inconclusive.
“The party insists that the polls have already been concluded and results announced in all polling and the collation centers, thus bringing the exercise to its lawful conclusion and removing INEC powers to declare the election inconclusive.
“Our electoral law is clear that once an election result is declared, INEC is bound to return a winner. INEC, in trying to play the card of the defeated All Progressives Congress (APC), contravened the law by refusing to announce a return, even when the declared results have thrown up a winner.
“INEC’s action in declaring a concluded election as inconclusive is therefore an annulment, totally duplicitous, constitutionally illegal, ultra-vires and as such null and void.
“We demand that INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu immediately summon the courage to do the needful by declaring our candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, as winner,” the party said.
