The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Ogun state has urged PDP’s Ladi Adebutu to halt his “fugitive sojourn abroad and return to join hands with governor Dapo Abiodun to elevate the state.”
While adding that Abebutu should abandon his “planned wild goose chase at the appellate Court and accept the will of God,” state chairman of the council, Samson Okusanya emphasised that the state is not a commodity for sale.
Speaking to newsmen on Tuesday in a press conference held at Continental suite hotel, Ibara Abeokuta, he noted that the Tribunal led by Justice Kunaza and other members was fair in all ramifications.
Adebutu had on Monday rejected the
verdict of the election tribunal, dismissing his petition filed against Governor Dapo Abiodun and vowed to appeal the judgment.
The statement partly reads:
“ Ogun State IPAC, wouldn’t have dignified this beer parlour publication laced with deliberate falsehood or considered it necessary to react to such an epistle of personal bitterness, ignorance and complete unintelligent outburst from those Political traders, Buccaneers, Scavengers , emergency democrats, political predators , misfits and pedestrian politician, but for the benefit of the few in the public who may innocently be misinformed by this ethically rusty and morally depraved social misfit and miscreants.
“ We find their arguments empty and blind, where they claimed they were perplexed by the Tribunal’s reliance on technicalities involving procedural issues and semantics of the interpretation of words over the substance and core realities of the case.
“ Ladi Adebutu and his team of Lawyers ought to have known that law and facts are not based on technicalities but rather on fairness and objectivity of the egal process which stipulates that the petitioner ought to have front- loaded certain information in the petition.
Or did our laws not state emphatically that HE WHO ALLEGES MUST PROVE?
“ The Tribunal’s verdict on Ladi Adebutu petition clearly revealed that the petition contained so many procedural flaws with antecedents interpretation of words. The subsequent dismissal of the substantive suits is therefore right in the eyes of the Law.
“The Ogun State IPAC has painstakingly followed the case from inception to the last day, following the processes with keen interest and deep observation. The trial was no doubt very fair to all the Parties involved in the case. The judges not only did justice, they also ensured that it is seen to have been done with their painstaking efforts.
“ We salute the Judiciary and most importantly the members of the Tribunal led by Justice Kunaza and other members for a job welldone. The judgment was indeed watershed as it was deep, analytical and fair in all ramifications. We make.bold.to say it is worthy of emulation.
Okusanya also called on the Allied People’s Movement (APM) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to bury their hatchets and back the Abiodun-led administration
“ At this juncture, we call on the 3 remaining opposition Parties in Ogun State to support the dream of H.E Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON, in order to further move Ogun State forward. The wishes of the people of Ogun State have been upheld by the Tribunal and as such, all well meaning stakeholders in the state must drop their hatchets and join Governor Dapo Abiodun’s march to prosperity.
“ IPAC, under my leadership has always maintained that Ogun State is our heritage and therefore will resist any attempt to derail the process of good governance.
“ The PDP and her candidate, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, should by now realisze that Ogun State is not a commodity for purchase. We implore him to discontinue his sojourn abroad as fugitive, and immediately return to Ogun State in Nigeria to join hands to build our dear state. He should as a matter of importance, discontinue his planned wild goose chase at the appellate Court and accept the will of God.
“ It’s a known fact that Mr Adebutu is being hunted by the vote buying allegations which has been investigated by different relevant agencies thus it expedient for him to turn himself in.
While congratulating Dapo Abiodun on his victory at the tribunal on Saturday, Okusanya urged him to continue to demonstrate good leadership in Ogun State and remain focused in transforming the State.