Yemi Osinbajo, Aregbesola Appears Before Osun Tribunal Amidst Tight Security

December 19, 2014

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and the Vice
Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo appeared
before the Election Petitions Tribunal hearing matters arising from the August
9 governorship election in the state, after Iyiola Omisore of PDP filed a
lawsuit challenging Aregbesola’s victory. There were more armed security agents
around the court premises than usually to make sure nothing goes out of hand. The
road in front of the court was closed and commercial vehicles were totally restricted
while private vehicles with verifiable missions around the area, were only
allowed to move on the road. Below is how Punch reports the outcome of the
tribunal.

Security was heightened around the Osun State High Court
premises on Friday as Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the Vice Presidential
candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo ( SAN),
appeared before the Election Petitions Tribunal hearing matters arising from
the August 9 governorship election in the state.

There were more armed security agents in the court and
around the court premises on Friday than at the previous sittings.

The police, as usual, closed the road in front of the court
to commercial vehicles and motorcycles while private cars, with verifiable
missions around the area, were allowed to move on the road.

Operatives of the Department of State Security and
Explosives Ordinance Department were on the ground to ensure that there was no
security breach.

The duo appeared before the Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime-led
tribunal on the day when the second respondent, the APC opened their defence in
the petition filed by Senator Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples Democratic Party to
challenge Aregbesola’s victory.

Osinbajo, who led witnesses, called by the second
respondent, in evidence.

The APC called Isahu Olawale from Ejigbo Local Government
Area; Musa Abdulbaki from Osogbo Local Government Area; Opeyemi Olalemi from
Atakumosa East and Ayomide Otegbayo from Obokun Local Government Area.

The four witnesses told the panel that the election was
free, fair and credible while being led in evidence by the second respondent’s
counsel.

The witnesses insisted that the election was credible during
the cross examination by the petitioner’s counsel, Mr. Nathaniel Oke (SAN).

The panel adjourned sitting to Saturday for the APC to
continue with the testimonies of their witnesses.

Osinbajo insisted in an interview with journalists after the
proceedings that the August 9 governorship poll in the state was credible.

He said, “We called all of the witnesses we wanted to call
and they all performed very well. We hope to see clearly that this was a free
and fair election and that the APC won the election fair and square. That is
what we certainly hope to see.”

Aregbesola said he was at the tribunal to honour the panel
and to fraternise with Osinbajo, who is the running mate to Maj. Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari (retd.), the presidential candidate of the APC.

He said he was pleased with the testimonies of all the
witnesses called by the second respondent to defend his victory against the
petition.