Osun Guber: Tinubu Inner Caucus Weighs Options On Apex Court Appeal

Within 48 hours of the Court of Appeal verdict on the Osun Governorship election, top leaders within the president-elect caucus are weighing options on reported moves by Mr Gboyega Oyetola to head to Supreme Court.

The Court of Appeal had strongly rebuked the lower Court for breaching all known judicial precedents and for violating law of evidence in its ruling on the election of Governor Ademola Adeleke. The Appeal Court also slammed stiff monetary fines on the APC and the former Governor.

Checks revealed that while the state APC had voiced readiness to head to Supreme Court, the former Governor is yet to get the nod of the President-elect to proceed on the Appeal.

Senator Tinubu is reportedly not responding yet to messages from his brother Oyetola even as the inner circle of the President -elect are reportedly worried about the impact of further dragging of the Osun case on the bigger presidential project of Tinubu.

” There are concerns within the house. We have to build a reputation of a presidency that will protect democracy. We have to act in ways that reassure Nigerians they will be safe under our presidency. Moreso, we have challenges on the road to May 29th.

” We are aware of resistance to Jagaban’s imminent presidency. We have to be careful not to strengthen those who see our presidency as imminent death of democracy. So we are reviewing the situation. The Osun matter is a very difficult one for us, a member of Tinubu’s inner caucus confessed to our correspondent Saturday evening in Lagos.

According to him, “the Court of Appeal judgement was an extensive indictment on the lower Court. So it becomes a tough one to upturn at the apex court. The apex Court judges will also be dead scared of their reputation at this material time. So I tell you, we are in a fix and we are consulting”, he said.

Another top source at the APC Presidential campaign headquarters in Abuja posited that “any appeal on the Osun matter will negatively affect Tinubu presidential project”, adding “we have a lot at hand now than to add that Osun matter to it.

” Upon all we are battling with on the presidential project, do you expect Asiwaju to be looking at that Osun matter? Before the judgement, the President -elect had told a delegation of APC leaders from Osun that he will not raise a finger on the Osun matter, that he won’t interfere in the court matter and that he won’t want to be fighting a governor that is so popular across Osun state. You journalists published the story then. So what has changed now?

“Jagaban did not interfere in the Court of Appeal case. Yes, he did not. So why will he now be interested in the appeal? So please stop this blackmail against Asiwaju. He is focussed on assuming the Presidency, not pursuing a very messy case like the Osun gubernatorial thing”, the source who spoke extensively on the matter noted.

Prodded on how an appeal may affect Jagaban presidential project, the furious ally of the President-elect from Kano state fired back as follows: ” If we have any influence at the apex court, it will be deployed to win our presidential election petitions.

” If we are to seek favour of those apex court judges, it is to affirm Asiwaju’s election as president. Do you think we are stupid enough to abandon those serious petitions to be running after the Osun matter?

“See, the stakes in the presidential thing are too high. If Isiaka himself loves his brother, he will abandon further action on the Osun thing.

” Do you think we are happy even with Oyetola himself? The results of federal and state elections in Osun were a huge embarrassment to us all. How do we now defend people who even lost their polling units?”, the source noted.

It was however gathered that top leaders of the Tinubu caucus who had traveled to meet the President-elect on the matter are seeking to sound him out.

A South Western leader from Lagos who just jetted out told his aides at the airport in Lagos that Jagaban will make his position known before Tuesday, adding however that ”We will ensure we do everything possible to defend this new presidential mandate.

” That is our focus for now. Anything that will weaken our effort in that respect won’t be allowed. We have told Isiaka that he should be preparing for 2026″, the Lagos chief was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, insiders at the Adeleke camp reported that Governor Adeleke is prepared for all eventualities.

” We are ready for all options. If they proceed to the apex court, we will meet them there. If they accept our olive branch, we are ready to work with them. We have God and Osun people with us”, an aide of the Governor who craves anonymity told our correspondent.