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Senator Biodun Olujimi.

Ariwodola Idowu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti has hailed Wednesday’s Appeal Court judgment which upheld the Tribunal verdict that sacked Sen. Dayo Adeyeye of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in favour of Mrs Abiodun Olujimi.

This is just as the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC) in its reaction rejected the judgment, describing it as a rape on the mandate freely given by Ekiti electorate to the APC Senator.

The PDP made the commendation in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday by its Publicity Secretary in the State, Mr Jackson Adebayo.

Adebayo commended the judiciary for upholding the victory of the party’s candidate, Sen. Abiodun Olujimi, representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, in the Feb. 23 election.

He said that the judgment of both the lower tribunal and the Appeal court in Kaduna did not come to the party as a surprise.

The PDP spokesman said that this was because the result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not reflect the true votes cast in the first instance.

He therefore hailed the judiciary for righting the wrong appropriately by declaring Sen. Olujimi of PDP as the authentic winner of the National Assembly election.

“We congratulate all members of our party in the state and particularly congratulate Sen. Biodun Olujimi for her courage to fight the battle to a victorious, logical conclusion,” Adebayo said.

He urged all the leaders as well as members of the party to see the victory as an act of God; hence the need to cooperate to move the party forward.

“We want to assure all our members that with the victory of Sen. Olujimi there is a great future for the Party. What we just need is to walk in unison towards subsequent elections in the State,” Adebayo said.

However, the ruling APC in Ekiti state, in a statement rejected the Court of Appeal judgment which sacked the spokesman of the Senate, Dayo Adeyeye.

The APC in a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Sam Oluwalana, said the verdict did not reflect the wishes of people of the Ekiti South Senatorial District.

” The judgment, delivered earlier today can best be described as a travesty of Justice and robbing Peter to pay Paul,” he declared.

According to Oluwalana, the short period spent by Sen Adeyeye at the red chamber was indelible and remarkable for the people of Ekiti South and the state in general.

Oluwalana, who is also the Senior Special Assistant, Media, Party Matters to the state governor, stated that Adeyeye exhibited exemplary traits while in the upper chambers.

“We commend Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who was highly-revered by his colleagues in the upper chambers, for the exemplary leadership, which he exhibited within the short period he spent in the Senate
“We are proud of his achievements during the period, as he was able to manage information outflow without any scandal in the Senate,” he said.

The PDP spokesman appealed to the people to go about their normal businesses rather than taking the laws into their hand over the judgment.

Oluwalana also counselled the people not to be discouraged by the court judgment.
He said they should rather continue to support the APC in the state in its quest to turn around the mismanaged economy of the state by immediate past regime.

Meanwhile, residents of Omuo Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government Area, have been celebrating the victory of Olujimi, an indigene of the town.

Many of the residents abandoned party affiliatio and trooped to the streets to celebrate Olujimi’s final victory.

Some residents said the fact that their town had now succeeded in producing Femi Bamisile of APC as a member of the House of Representatives, and also produced a PDP Senator in Abiodun Olujimi, though from different parties, ordinarily called for celebration. (NAN)