Ogun tribunal: Stop sending emissaries to Adebutu’s father – PDP, APC trade words

By Christiana Ekpa

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop sending emissaries to Chief Kessington Adebutu, father of the PDP candidate in the March 18 governorship election in the State, Ladi Adebutu.

The PDP cautioned that the APC should face the case before the election tribunal instead of sending dignitaries to plead with the business mogul to prevail on his son to withdraw his petition.

This was contained in a statement made available to journàlists by the PDP Publicity Secretary in Ogun, Akinloye Bankole, on Monday.

Earlier, the APC spokesman in Ogun, Tunde Oladunjoye, had accused Adebutu of bullying the judiciary.

Oladunjoye told Adebutu that he cannot be a petitioner and judge at the same time, saying election petition is not won on social media.

The APC leader said, “Adebutu’s persistent bullying of the judiciary, peddling of lies against the government and inciting the citizens, is the worst version of what defective petitioners do to give nonexistent hope to gullible followers to keep them in check and securely warehoused.”

He described Adebutu’s petition as nothing but foul smoke that will be blown away with the wind.

“They fantasised about votes to be deducted from APC votes! This is laughable. They have been deceived by rookie statisticians who came up with all manner of strange allegations, expecting their one-winged petition to fly. The decent thing to do is for Adebutu to refrain from propaganda,” Oladunjoye stated.

Reacting, the PDP said Adebutu, together with the party approached the elections petition tribunal with petitions, to register displeasure on the level of partisanship, anomalies, manipulations and several irregularities discovered in the just concluded 2023 elections in the State.

The PDP spokesperson said it is a shameful act for Oladunjoye and the Ogun APC team to have called Adebutu out for exercising his fundamental human rights, stressing that the Nigerian constitution reckons with freedom of speech and expression, which Adebutu has done harmlessly.

“For Oladunjoye to have started crying when trials have not commenced, is it not a new antics to cause distractions, particularly when the truth is catching up with them daily?”

Bankole maintained that an election tribunal is never a military zone and anyone with no skeleton in his cupboard should not shiver but accept being served with the petitions and not wait until an order for substituted service is granted.

“If truly the APC won the election beyond reasonable doubt, then, there is no need for the APC to twist narratives, whip sentiments around the judiciary and cry foul when nothing happened.

“The APC should prepare themselves for the trials at the tribunal and stop disturbing the public with lies and also stop sending emissaries to the patriarch of the Adebutu family to plead. Rather, they should allow the judiciary, the only hope of the common man, to perform its constitutional duties. After all, ours is a constitutional democracy,” Bankole noted.

He spoke further that the “APC is known for intimidating and attacking peaceful individuals, so as to restrict people from exposing their illicit acts, hence, their new endeavour of using Oladunjoye as a microphone to orchestrate and cause post-election chaos.”

Bankole alleged that Oladunjoye “is supposed to be under an arrest somewhere and be answering questions bordering on corruption and reckless dereliction of duties during his inglorious days as council chairman; he should not

May 29th Inauguration: Why we initiated prayer sessions – APC Forum

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Ahead of the forthcoming inauguration of the nation’s presidentelect, Bola Tinubu, on May 29th, 2023, the All Progressive Congress (APC) leaders under the aegis of the North Central APC Forum have initiated prayer sessions for the success of the inauguration.

The Forum also said the prayer sessions have become necessary following the imagined and unforeseen threats against the success of the ceremony.

Chairman of the Forum, Saleh Mandung Zazzaga disclosed this to journalists in

Jos the Plateau State Capital after their post-Easter and Sallah meeting as well as their strategic action plan towards the inauguration ceremony.

He said the Forum’s Muslim members, including himself, who went on pilgrimage to the holy land of Saudi Arabia and just returned two days ago have already commenced preliminary prayer sessions for the country generally and the smooth transition process while their Christian members back at home were equally observing their own prayers.

He, however, said, the official commencement of the prayer sessions among members and accompanying supporters would be on Saturday, April 29th, 2023, which would be exactly one month to the inauguration.

“Prayers for a hitch-free transition process and the eventual inauguration of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, come May 29th has become imperative following forces and other perceived threats working against it.

“For instance, there are several suits against Tinubu which mischief makers are trying to use to obstruct the occasion”, he explained.

“Again, there is the threat from several quarters calling for an interim government, and the security agencies themselves have acknowledged such threats.

“With all these threats and unforeseen others, we have decided to commence these prayer sessions among adherents of the different faiths so that the inauguration will come and go successfully and the new government can take off on a sound footing,” he said.

Zazzaga pointed out that with prayers Tinubu will also have divine direction in his administration, particularly in the area of selecting the lieutenants he will be working with, as making wrong appointments is the fastest thing that could mar his administration.