Osun State chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, on Tuesday, accused each other of alleged plans to influence judges in the election petition tribunal panel that heard complaints arising from the July 16 governorship election in the state.

The panel had adjourned for judgement after the parties adopted their final written addresses last Friday.

The PDP, in a statement obtained in Osogbo, had fired the first salvo, accusing former Adegboyega Oyetola of plans to influence the outcome of the tribunal in his favour.

The party, in a statement by its acting chairman, Dr Adekunle Akindele, alleged that the former governor was making efforts to schedule a secret meeting with members of the tribunal for Friday.

“Information at our disposal confirms the evil plot to corrupt and hijack the tribunal’s outcome. The plot has reached an advanced stage. The former governor is running around to get the judges to agree to a meeting for this Friday. But he will not succeed because the judges will not agree to such a meeting. Panel members are men of integrity and good conscience.

“The PDP seeks to warn that 2022 is not 2018 and any attempt to tamper with the will of the people will be lawfully resisted by our people. The scam of 2018 cannot resurface in 2022 as the judiciary has assumed a new toga as a defender of democracy,” the statement read in part.

Reacting, the APC said the Osun PDP handlers were only trying to be clever by half by rolling out falsehoods to justify the imminent failure awaiting them at the tribunal.

The state acting Chairman of the APC, Mr Tajudeen Lawal, said this in a statement.

“We hope they are not trying to accuse us of what they did only because the project failed. Any discerning Nigerian will immediately know that Governor Ademola Adeleke has a bad case before the tribunal, as it is common knowledge in Ede that he had issues with his certificate. No matter how hard he tries, some people are still alive who know his story,” he said. (The PUNCH)

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