A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ife-East Local Government, Mr Junaid Ademola has alleged the Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke and the Peoples Democratic Party of attempting to influence the judgement of the election petition tribunal involving Engr. Benjamin Adereti of APC and Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro.
This was contained in a statement issued by the party chieftain on recently in Ile-Ife.
The statement reads; “In a case filed by All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the 2023 Ife Federal Constituency election, Engr. Benjamin Kayode Adereti against the declared winner, Hon Taofeek Abimbola Ajilesoro.
“The APC candidate petitioned the candidate of the PDP, Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro for forgery/perjury of his credentials submitted to INEC and non-compliance with electoral guidelines at the last general election.
“The petitioner subpoenas the current Headmistress of St. Mulumba Primary School Lagere, Ile Ife to bring the examination broadsheet of 1989/90, 1990/1991, 1991/1992 and 1992/93 set, to confirm the claimed year of graduation on the second defendant.
“The testimonial issued to him as 1991 set who claimed to have started his primary school between 1986 to 1991 but, unfortunately, his name was found on the list of 1992 set which contradicted his acclaimed date of graduation”.
The date of issue was 07/07/1991 this date happened to be Sunday but Osun State had not been created from Oyo state. Osun State was created on the 27th of August 1991.
“It is equally shameful that Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro called one of his appointees who left primary school in 1997 as a witness to defend his forged 1991 testimonial. What baffled the people at the tribunal was the temerity of his appointee who did not attend the same primary school with him, they were not friends, age mate or classmate as at the time the certificate was issued.
“It was established in the petition of the applicant, Benjamin Adereti that the number of accredited voters in some polling units did not tally with the number of votes recorded in the election. And as a result of this, figures were written to favour PDP and its candidate.
“These and other evidence presented against Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro at the tribunal made him and the PDP approached Governor Ademola Adeleke to influence the outcome of the tribunal in their favour”.
The statement further noted that, a reliable source revealed evidence of how one of the PDP lawyers was appointed to do a hatchet job to bribe the three-man panel with a huge sum of 50 million naira to buy judgement in their favour. A close associates of Ajilesoro is also bragging around that they have what it takes to buy judgement in favour of Ajilesoro.
“News via recorded voice messages of PDP members and close associates of Taofeek Ajilesoro shared on various WhatsApp platforms further indicated how other members of the National Assembly are contributing humongous fund to procure judgment in favour of Ajilesoro.
“They claimed Gov. Ademola’s case was worst than this and he rigged his way out by procuring judgement in his favor through his brother. Those contributing to these funds are not limited to Senator Ajagunla and senator Fadaunsi (FADA).
“INEC was also offered 35 million naira. They’re on the move to use the Chief Justice from those judges’ states to influence them.
“But their attempt to cut corners failed and they are about to increase the bounty to several Millions of Naira just to subvert the will of the people of Ife Federal Constituency”.
Ademola therefore, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ooni of Ife, men of the fourth estate of the realm and well-meaning people of Osun State to kindly call Governor Ademola Adeleke, Hon. Ajilesoro and PDP to order.
The people’s believe and hope in the judiciary as the temple of justice in a democratic society like ours is unshakable. We know that the judges are men and women of credible character who will not soil their names for a pot of porridge. They should allow the law to take its natural course.
The tribunal has adjourned sitting to the 11th of July, 2023.
