ONDO ELECTION: Jegede calls on his supporters to remain calm over Appeal Court decision.

A contender for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede, has called on his supporters to remain calm despite the decision of the Appeal Court to suspend hearing of his application.

A three-member panel of the court headed by Justice Ibrahim Salauwa on Friday put off decision on the tussle for the PDP ticket until the Supreme Court rules on an application relating to the matter.

The case at the Supreme Court was taken there by supporters of Jimoh Ibrahim, the other contender for the ticket.

The Court of Appeal had fixed Friday to deliver judgment on an appeal by Eyitayo Jegede against the decision of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, upon which the Independent National Electoral Commission acted to substitute Mr. Eyitayo with Mr. Ibrahim as the PDP candidate.

Mr. Jegede, in a statement by the head of media and publicity of his campaign organisation, Kayode Fasua, said the setback was the handiwork of anti-democratic elements hell bent on truncating his mandate for the November 26 polls.

He, however, said as a believer in the rule of law and the judiciary, he will be at the Supreme Court on Tuesday to thrash out issues raised by the appellants.

He alleged that the objective of the appellants was to stop a review of Justice Abang’s judgment “through various baseless petitions, spurious blackmail and media propaganda”, adding that the day of reckoning was near for the “anti-democratic elements”.

Mr. Jegede appealed to his supporters that despite the hurt they feel, they should not take the laws into their hands but remain resolute and intensify their door-to-door campaigns.

“I call on our supporters to remain calm, and not be weighed down by the latest developments which I believe should only strengthen our resolve in ensuring that despite all contrivances and manipulations, we will contest and win the November 26 governorship election”, he said.

“For us, there is no looking back. We remain resolute and focused in our desire to bring development, progress and prosperity to our people, this is our Article of Faith and with God, we will triumph”, he added.