Two of the defeated Osun gubernatorial candidates throw their weight behind Adeleke

TWO of the defeated aspirants in last Saturday's Osun State gubernatorial elections have declared their support for Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) saying any attempt to declare anyone else the winner will be undemocratic.

On Saturday, Osun State went to the polls to elect a new governor and in what was a cliff-hanger of an election, Senator Adeleke of the PDP secured 254,698 votes, while Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) got 254,345 votes. Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec), declared the result inconclusive because it had cancelled 3,498 votes in seven polling units located in Osogbo, Orolu, Ife North and Ife South local government areas as a result of irregularities.

Tomorrow, a re-run will be held in the disputed polling units but in the run-up to the polls, two of the defeated candidates Alhaji Moshood Adeoti of Action Democratic Party, (ADP) and Alhaji Fatai Akinbade of the African Democratic Congress, (ADC), have thrown their weight behind Senator Adeleke. Also, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a former governor, has thrown his weight behind the PDP man saying he won and should not be ribbed of victory.

In separate releases the trio affirmed that they will not support the undemocratic tendencies of the ruling APC in connivance with Inec that has become a torn in the flesh of Nigeria's nascent democracy. They added that it has become an embarrassment that an institution like Inec has turned itself to an unfair umpire with recklessness of academic rascality by deliberately adding figures like kindergarten pupils.

They added that it has become imperative to save Nigeria from imminent collapse in the hands of agent of oppression who want to force unpopular candidates on the electorate by all means. The trio concluded that it is better to obey the rule of law and respect the wishes of Osun State electorates by allowing their votes to count.

Senator Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) came third with 128,049 votes and is currently being wooed by both the PDP and APC to join forces with them for tomorrow's polls. It appears that Senator Omisore is undecided on who to support, however, as he remains on the fence, not committing to either side.

Senate president and PDP presidential candidate Senator Bukola Saraki has visited Senator Omisore to canvass his support as has the APC. Among those on the APC high-powered delegation were governors Abiola Ajimobi, Abdullahi Ganduje and Ibikunle Amosun of Oyo, Kano and Ogun states, Ekiti State governor-elect Kayode Fayemi, party chairman Adams Oshiomhole, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives Lasun Yusuf and information minister Lai Mohammed.