PUBLIC LECTURE…

As the 2019 general election draws nearer, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said at weekend that it took the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the recent Osun State governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to “dance” to secure 250,000 votes, and described Nigeria’s political terrain as fluid and unpredictable.

This is coming as the All Progressives Congress Party (APC) yesterday expressed shock that PDP has again condemned the reconstitution of the members of Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and has also threatened violence if it loses at the tribunal

Osinbajo said the situation was such that politicians could be helpless when events unfold.

Speaking at the launch of “Five Fascinating Books” written by Mrs. Funmilayo Braithwaite at the Transcorp Hotel, Abuja, Osinbajo said it took the senator to “dance” to secure 250,000 votes.

Speaking on one of the books entitled “politicrisis”, Osinbajo said watchers of Nigerian politics assume there was “a formular somewhere” when there is none.

“I believe that when we read these books, a lot of the questions will find resolution to many of the question that are raised in our lives and in the lives of our children and hopefully, we will able to find resolution to some of questions raised in our political lives as well.

“That is one of the reason the Chairman, Advanced Peoples Democratic Party ( APDA) Alhaji Shitu Kabiru, is here; as matter of fact, for those of you who are politicians, when you see ``Politicrisis’; especially as elections approach, you might think there is a formula somewhere.

“He and I and are the opposite sides but we are here to learn.

“I was saying the other that politics in Nigeria is becoming very exciting. You never know what works. I can never forget my dear friend in one of the states who just danced his way through the campaigns, all he did was dance; he did nothing else but dance and he won 250,000 votes.

“So, myself and Alhaji Kabiru are now learning Shaku Shaku; we have to learn; who knows what will win? I am really excited to be here just as other friends of Funmi are”, he said.

He commended the author for raising in her five books important questions about the value system.

Meanwhile, the APC yesterday expressed shock that the PDP has again condemned the reconstitution of the members of Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and has threatened violence if it loses at the tribunal.

The Director of Media and Strategy of the APC, Kunle Oyatomi, described the threat as very irresponsible.

The PDP had in a statement on Saturday signed by its South West zonal Secretary, Bunmi Jenyo, stated that there would be masses revolution, if its perception of justice was not served by the tribunal.

By this assertion, Oyatomi noted that the PDP has exposed its desperation to win, even if the justices say it lost the election’.

According to the APC, the statement by the PDP is a forewarning to the security agencies that the PDP is preparing for violence if it loses at the tribunal.

In trying to run down the tribunal members and indeed the President of the Court of Appeal, the PDP accused both the President of Appeal Court, her husband and her son as certified members of APC, and therefore, the President cannot dispense justice in the matter.

The APC further argued that the allegations were untrue, adding that that the fact that the Appeal Court President is not sitting on the matter destroys PDP’s argument. “If she were sitting on the tribunal, the PDP might have a case.

“The President of the Court of Appeal, by law is discharging her responsibility to set up the tribunal. Nobody else is empowered to do so under our law. If the PDP therefore is questioning the authority of the President to constitute the tribunal, it should be told that it is over-reaching its limit.

“The PDP has no power whatsoever under the Constitution to question the authority of the judiciary in this matter, except of course it would sue for the removal of Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa as President of the Court of Appeal. The onus of the proof of guilt rests on PDP” L-R: Guest lecturer and Edo State’s Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Esohe Ikponmwen; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and Vice Chancellor, Benson Idahosa University (BIU), Prof. Sam Guobadia, at the 1st Public Lecture, at BIU, Benin City, Edo State…recently