ADDRESS OF ONDO STATE GOVERNOR, DR. OLUSEGUN MIMIKO ON THE FRI. 3rd OF
MAY 2013 JUDGMENT OF THE JUSTICE ANDOVAR KAAKA’AN ELECTION PETITION
TRIBUNAL DELIVERED IN AKURE.
My good people of Ondo the Sunshine State, in a unanimous judgment of
the Justice Andovar Kaaka’an-led Election Petition Tribunal delivered
on Friday the 3rd of May 2013, the victory of the Labour Party in the
October 20, 2012, gubernatorial election in Ondo State, was affirmed.
It was a keenly contested election that allowed the robust display of
the spirit of competition. However, apart from the dimensions of
popular participation and fairness in any democratic election, there
must also be the normative dimension that consists of the acceptance
of majority wish and the protection of minority say. It is therefore
the hope of the Labour Party government in Ondo State, that with this
judgment, should rest any further political or judicial agitation
about the outcome of the election having, aside the electorate’s
verdict, been affirmed by the court.
The Labour Party government salutes the professional competence with
which the Justice Andovar Kaaka’an Election Tribunal handled the
petition within the legal time frame and applauds the decision that
squares with the preponderating wish of the electorate during the said
election. This has once again, confirmed the Nigerian judiciary as
living up to its role as the final impartial arbiter in all
contentious matters.
We, as government, are mindful of the onerous task of meeting the
development challenges of our people; we know that the fostering of
understanding between government and the people will engender a more
conducive environment for the deepening of the dividends of good
governance. That is why the Labour Party government is calling out to
opposition party members to partner with us in meeting the
expectations of our people. Since we hold the belief that opposition
party politics should be to the constructive engagement of the
government in power, we are urging those opposed to our politics to
shed the adversarial toga and join hands with us in building an
enviable and prosperous Ondo State.
The Labour Party government wishes to use this opportunity to thank
all the people of Ondo State for their loyalty during our first term
in office; for their support during the gubernatorial election; and
for their understanding of, and faithfulness to, the policy thrusts of
our government. By the grace of God and by our collective resolve, we
shall all live to see a transformed Ondo State whose fortunes shall
have been irreversibly turned around for the better.
Let us all join hands in making this a reality.
Thank you and God bless.
