Appeal Court Judgment: Nothing Has Changed - Daniel

Olayinka Olukoya, Abeokuta - 15.03.2008

Governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel, has said that the judgment of the Appeal Court ordering the retrial of the petition filed by Sen. Ibikunle Amosun over his victory in the last April 14 election has “not changed the status quo in the state.”

He made this declaration on Friday in Abeokuta at the turning of the sod of a N40 million ultramodern Science Laboratories, donated by Chief Kessington Adebutu, to the Moshood Abiola Polythecnic.

According to him, “The judgment is neither a victory or a defeat for anybody. What the court said was ‘Go and do proper trial’. The issue of challenging election results, to the best of my knowledge, is not particular to Ogun State. There is not a single state in the country where elections are not being challenged.

Governor Daniel hailed the court for doing justice to all the matters brought before it, saying, ”the judiciary is doing a fantastic job.”

His words: ”The judgment has not changed the status quo in the state. Elections are decided with the ballot box, not in the law court. You know that we won free and square.

“You know that we won because we made a difference. The situation remains the same as far as we are concerned.”

He urged Nigerians to thank God that the election situation in the country had not resulted into violence as experienced in Kenya.

Daniel also urged well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the philanthropic gestures of Chief Adebutu towards educational development in the state.

He used the opportunity to appoint and announce the donor as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Gateway Polytechnic, Sapade, and also announced a reduction of the fees of the MAPOLY students by another N7000.

The donor, promised to extend his gesture to the Ogun Central Senatorial district, which was yet to benefit from his largesse.