By Henry Umoru, Abuja
THE National leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP yesterday described the sack of Engr. Segun Oni as unfortunate and a terrible shock, just as it said it accepts the judgment.

Reacting to the judgment of the Appeal Court, the PDP National Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje said, “this judgment is terrible and unfortunate. We see it as unfortunate because we expected that in a worst case scenario that the Court of Appeal will order a re_run election.

“It is terrible because there is no further room for appeal, if not the PDP would have appealed the judgment. But be that as it may, we accept because the judiciary is the last case in this matter. The Court of Appeal is the last court of option, so we accept it.

“No matter what, Ekiti state remains a PDP state and by the next governorship election in the state, PDP will rightly claim what belongs to it. We appeal to our members to remain peaceful and law abiding and accept the judgment in good faith.”

Meanwhile, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN has described it as victory for democracy.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party while describing the victory as a salute to the tenacity of purpose by the ACN governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi,  leaders as well as members of the party.

According to Mohammed, the victory is a tonic for the country’s democracy, a victory for the rule of law and a great day for the judiciary, adding, “this victory has simply shown that, with an independent and unbiased judiciary, a man can get justice if he is courageous enough to pursue his case in the face of all odds.

“Several other candidates perhaps have cases as good as that of Dr. Fayemi, but their lack of inner strength, personal conviction and tenacity of purpose forced them to chicken out.

“Despite doubts from certain quarters, the judiciary once again rose above the fray to give Nigerians hope for the survival of our democracy and the supremacy of the rule of law, in the face of relentless anti_democratic actions by the ruling PDP and its ilk.

“When the history of democracy in Nigeria is written, we have no scintilla of doubt that the role played by the courageous judges who presided over the Ekiti Appeal will be remembered.”

While saluting the unflinching loyalty and comportment of ACN members in Ekiti and beyond _ in the face of great provocations _ all through the tortuous journey to victory, the ACN spokesperson urged them to celebrate with great responsibility and shun all acts that could threaten public peace.

Also in a statement signed by the PDP national Publicity Secretary, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, the Party said, “The Peoples Democratic Party has received with rude shock, the judgement of the Appeal Court, Ilorin Division which nullified the election of Governor Segun Oni, while declaring his Action Congress of Nigeria opponent as Governor of Ekiti State.

“The Peoples Democratic Party is shocked principally because Ekiti State is one of its strongholds.  We flashback that at the last year’s re_run governorship election, our great party reaffirmed our superiority as well as popularity with the people of Ekiti State. Though pyrrhic, the PDP decisively won the election.

Our victory was subsequently re_affirmed by the Ekiti State Governorship Election Tribunal who upheld the re_election of Governor Oni.

“Sadly, the learned justices of the Appeal Court, Ilorin Division thought otherwise.  As a law abiding political Party with firm belief in the rule of law, we accept this judgement.

“However, we urge all our members in the State to remain strong and not be down spirited by this new development as the PDP will surely take back Ekiti, the next governorship election.

“We also charge them to continue to support the PDP and the numerous reform programmes which the National Working Committee under the leadership Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo has embarked upon. “