Fani-Kayode says Osun election spells the end of the Tinubu era and his legacy of god-fatherism

FORMER aviation minister Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has boasted that the recent gubernatorial election in Osun State spells the funeral rites of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

On Saturday, Osun State went to the polls to elect a new governor and in what was a cliff-hanger of an election, Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured 254,698 votes, while Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of the APC got 254,345 votes. Chief Fani-Kayode, a leading member of the PDP, who is also an Osun indigene, said that the result was a damnation of Asiwaju Tinubu and the outgoing Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

Senator Adeleke ended the day leading by just 353 votes but with about 3,500 votes declared invalid, Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) declared the result inconclusive in line with the constitutional provision which states that if the margin of victory is less than the number of invalid votes, a re-run must take place. On Thursday, September 27, there will now be a re-run in about seven polling stations were voting was cancelled on Saturday.

During the election, voters expressed their frustration with Governor Aregbesola who is owing about four months salary arrears and has indebted the state heavily. In addition, APCV members were not happy with the way Asiwaju Tinubu imposed Alhaji Oyetola, who is his cousin, on the state, using Governor Aregbesola to ensure he got the party ticket ahead of other candidates.

Chief Fani-Kayode said:  “The result of the Osun State election is the beginning of the political funeral rites of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Rauf Aregbesola and the APC. The final burial will be on Thursday 27th September 2018 when Demola Adeleke reclaims his stolen mandate.”

Senator Adeleke has already thanked the electorate, saying he was honoured to have won considerable votes across all local governments of the state despite the blackmail during electioneering campaign. He, however, appealed to the people to rededicate themselves to the struggle, adding that the tyrants can be forced to submit to the will of the people.

“I sent my appreciation through this medium to Osun voters who find me worthy of their votes. Your votes humbled me and further strengthen my resolve to truly serve our people.

“Despite all the blackmails and persecution, you stood by me, you voted for me and you defended your votes. You adopted me as the rallying point of the redemption movement. Words cannot express the depth of my appreciation and we will get to the Promised Land. It started well and it will end in praise to our dear God," Senator Adeleke added.

Inec's returning officer for Osun State Professor Joseph Fuwape listed the affected local governments as Orolu, Osogbo, Ife South and Ife North. He noted that the cancelled 3,498 votes could swing victory in favour of either the PDP or APC, pointing out that the result from Osogbo Unit 017, where 884 voters were registered, was cancelled because the presiding officer absconded with electoral materials, while in Orolu, the election was cancelled due to ballot box snatching.

Segun Agbaje, the Osun State resident electoral commissioner, said the re-run would be between 8am and 2pm. He added that since the affected polling units are few, voting will end early so that the winner can be announced as promptly as possible, with all the 48 parties that partook in Saturday’s election free to participate in the re-run if they so wish.