The PDP accused the tribunal chairman of serving as the mouthpiece of the petitioners during the hearing and of personal attacks on the governor in the ruling.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Osun Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal chairman, Tertse Kume, sabotaged and deliberately undermined the new Electoral Act, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Osun chapter has said.
The party’s leadership led by the State Caretaker Chairman, Adekunle Akindele, said at a world press conference in Osogbo after the tribunal ruled in favour of Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that it would report the judge to judicial disciplinary bodies.
Akindele said that the judgement was clearly way-billed by the APC as the judge abandoned legal arguments and submissions to dwell on the trivial as foundation for his pronouncement.
Citing many examples of bias and personal hatred for the state governor Ademola Adeleke by the tribunal chairman, the PDP accused the Benue-born judge of serving as the mouthpiece of the petitioners during the hearing and of personal attacks on the governor in the ruling, citing the “ridiculous” reference to ‘buga’ dance in the judgement.
Akindele said, “Our party had always suspected Mr Tertse Kumeata’s conduct in the course of hearing of the petition. Most times, the Benue State-born controversial arbiter would get lost and get himself overwhelmed with his biased tendencies and enter the role of lead counsel to the petitioner, arguing points for them like a hired mercenary, even when it was obvious the hired counsels for the petitioner had lost their way.
“This reckless abuse of privilege got to a head when Mr Tartse had to step down hearing twice for the APC lead counsel to adjust and regain himself when the latter got lost in traffic of trying to adumbrate white as black in their final written address.
“What more, the premeditated stance of the tribunal chairman was clearly demonstrated in his side of the stalemate with his choice of words which we considered unethical, disrespectful and unbecoming of a judicial officer of such standing.
“Even if the judgement was way-billed to him as we suspected by his petitioner collaborators, he should have disguised and exercised some restraints by expunging the foul languages obviously written for him in local parlance of Buga lyrics to disrespect an elected governor. He shouldn’t have gone so low, low, low!
“This is more so when he’s expected not to be too carried away or in the least, to be aware that his warped position was a mere starting point in the legal tussle in this context as provided in our extant laws.
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“For us as a party, we understand the desperation of those behind the jankara judgement. We understand the trap they tried to set against the BVAS innovation in our electoral system. We understand the desperation goes beyond the Osun election or Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke.
“The evil plot is ultimately against the coming general election where in their usual fraudulent habit, millions of voter cards have either been cloned, registered with ghost names and are being made ready to be deployed especially for the presidential election, in which they could smell their total rejection far ahead of time.
“In this wise and in their fraudulent anticipation, the use of BVAS machine must be discredited and rendered impotent ahead of their planned invasion of the electoral field with their fraudulent antics. However, ladies and gentlemen, this is a battle they cannot win!
“The experience in Osun calls for eternal vigilance of Nigerians. Nigerians from far and near must be vigilant because the poll robbers are not resting and are not even hiding it. They are on the streets boasting already with their trade to circumvent the process against popular choice of Nigerians. This we must all fight or the nation is doomed in their hands.
“The most disturbing aspect is that they have collaborators and willing accomplices everywhere. Either in the Election management body, security or even the hallowed temple of justice like the Buga exponent, who have got drenched in his biased disposition to dare all consequences to deliver an absurdity of judgement, which was washed down his face alternately by his bench mate.
“Nigerians must be ready just as we are ready for them in Osun State. They will not win this time. There should be an end to exploits of minority crooks in our land.
“In the meantime, we call on the good people of our dear state, to be calm in steadfastness. They should be calm but be ready to defend their mandate with us. The bandits will not win when we move as one,” the party chief concluded.