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The 2020 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede, has reacted to the Supreme Court verdict which dismissed his appeal and upheld the victory of governor Rotimi Akeredolu saying he has accepted defeat.
Jegede in a statement personally signed by him in Akure, the state capital congratulated Akeredolu for the victory.
The statement said: โNow that we have explored the grievance procedure permitted by the constitution and the law, it is time to give glory to God.
โWe thank specially our legal team, under the leadership of Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu for their commitment, industry and dedication to our cause. Over and above all, we thank them for their sacrifice.
โWe are thankful to the people of Ondo State for their steadfastness, we were in this for service and for the collective interest of the majority of our people.
โThe outcome of todayโs judgement should not deter good and well-meaning individuals from aspiring for leadership in our State and in our Country. For all our people who have stood strong, we salute you.
โWe thank the national and state leadership, and the generality of the members of PDP for providing us with great support. For our governors who provided the required leadership and kept faith with our aspiration, gratitude, history will judge you right.
โWith this outcome, our respect and reverence for the judiciary and our justices of the supreme court has not diminished.
โl congratulate HE Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
Also, the party in the state in a statement by its Publicity Secretary of the party, Kennedy lkantu Peretei said that โThe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ondo State Chapter and its Candidate in the October 2020 Governorship Election have accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court being the Apex Court in the land.
โIn their considered opinions, all the Justices agreed that, Mai Mala Buni violated the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) but four of them in their majority decision dismissed our Appeal because Buni was not joined in the petition.
โThree other justices in their minority judgement held that joining Buni was unnecessary because the Constitution which is the ground norm of our democracy can not be trampled upon with such impunity.
โThe implication of this verdict is that, the non-joinder of Buni is more fatal to the petition than the infringement on the Constitution.
โOur party wishes to encourage all our party supporters to remain steadfast and be consoled that, we fought a good fight, from the beginning to the end.
โThe Supreme Court is the โGuardian Angelโ of our Constitution and Democracy. To ensure that nobody tramples upon it without consequence.
โTo this end, the Judgement will also go into history as one of the major tests of our democracy which ought to be guided by the rule of law.
Peretei added that โAs much as we are not discouraged by this verdict, we shall continue to pursue that which will make life more easy for the people of Ondo State.
